Banksy's identity revealed
The identity of iconic street artist Banksy has been revealed. His real name is Robin Gunningham. Reuters journalists reached this conclusion after a years-long investigation.
As the agency notes, this name was first mentioned in a 2008 Mail on Sunday article, but Gunningham's trail soon disappeared. It has now emerged that the man has changed his documents—his new name is David Jones, which is one of the most common first and last name combinations in Britain.
To uncover Banksy's identity, Reuters conducted extensive research, interviewing dozens of insiders and experts and analyzing various documents and the artist's digital footprints. The agency learned Banksy's real name thanks to his trip to Ukraine in October 2022, where he created one of his works. It turned out that he was accompanied on that trip by documentary photographer Giles Duley and Massive Attack co-founder and artist Robert Del Naja (previously believed by fans to be the man behind Banksy).
The investigation notes: "On the day Duley and Del Naja entered Ukraine, a certain David Jones crossed the border at the same location. The source also provided us with the date of birth listed on Jones's passport, which matched Robin Gunningham's date of birth."
Further confirmation of this version is the artist's arrest in 2000. The New York police detained him for graffiti on a billboard at 675 Hudson Street. It was Robin Gunningham who confessed to the crime, and his name also appears in court and police documents.
Before publishing this article, Reuters contacted Gunningham directly. The journalists presented the artist with the results of their research and asked him questions about his work and career, but he declined to speak.
At the same time, Banksy's lawyer, Mark Stevens, wrote to the agency that the artist "disagrees with many of the details contained in your request," but did not specify which ones. Without confirming or denying Banksy's identity, he "strongly" urged against publishing the report, arguing that disclosing his identity would violate the artist's privacy, interfere with his creativity, and put him in danger. This became the final proof.
Banksy is one of the most enigmatic and sought-after artists of our time. A survey conducted in the UK voted his work "Girl with a Balloon" the country's favorite artwork. Furthermore, in his home country, his contribution to art is valued higher than that of artists such as Rembrandt and Claude Monet. In his works, Banksy often satirizes the social and political aspects of modern society, criticizes government leaders, and points out human vices. His installations, which sell for millions of dollars at auction, attract the attention of collectors, thieves, and vandals alike.
Фото: Nicky J Sims/Getty Imagesbanksy/Instagram**