BOB TONIC

Artist Bob Tonic makes a striking debut with his first sculptural piece, bridging the gap between iconic graffiti and contemporary art.
Inspired by Banksy’s famous «Girl with Balloon» graffiti, this work reimagines the scene with new materiality and unprecedented details.
Where the original graffiti fades into simplicity and anonymity, Bob Tonic breathes emotional depth into the scene by giving the little girl a face, a glazed porcelain figure, almost ghost-like.
The contained tears on her face evoke a gentle melancholy, a sense of inevitable loss, reinforcing the symbolism of the red balloon slipping away.
But the artwork goes beyond a mere reinterpretation. It rises as an iconic object, instantly recognizable, while distancing itself from its initial inspiration through a striking three-dimensional presence.
The bright red balloon stands in sharp contrast to the girl’s pristine purity, symbolizing innocence slipping away, while the subtle details of the sculpture bring a tangible humanity to an otherwise fleeting image.
By reinventing this frozen moment of graffiti into a palpable sculpture, Bob Tonic captures the essence of street art while elevating it to a new dimension—one of permanence.
The work thus becomes a coveted object, a collectible piece that blends popular culture codes with classical statuary, creating a 21st-century icon.