Who is Banksy? The latest theory is a new work appears in London

Banksy is back in the spotlight after a series of animal-themed works appeared in London this week. Four pictures have been posted this week, although the last one was just hours before it was stolen.

On Monday, the artist posted a picture of a goat in Richmond on his Instagram account, followed by two elephants attached to a house in Chelsea the next day and three monkeys on a bridge over Brick Lane after that.

Yesterday, an image of a howling wolf on a satellite dish in a building on Rye Lane was stolen shortly after it was put on display.

There is a huge interest in the unknown artist even after more than 30 years. But after spending a long time identifying, last year a story appeared that could lead to his unmasking: in a recently discovered 2003 interview, the artist confirmed his first name.

In the recording before he disappeared, which was broadcast as part of Radio 4’s The Banksy Story, journalist Nigel Wrench asked the artist if his real name was Robert Banks. “This is Robbie,” Banksy replied.

As this ties into several theories about the mysterious street artist’s identity, including him being a founding member of Massive Attack, fans feel this could finally be the proof they need to reveal the hero. Although people have met Banksy – Louis Theroux famously hit the artist at a Queens Park Rangers football match in 2001, and two years later he was described by the Guardian writer Simon Hattenstone as “white, 28, scruffy casual-jeans, T-shirt, silver teeth , silver chain and silver earrings” – Banksy’s true identity has always been a mystery.

So, on this potentially important day, as the field of potential is rapidly narrowing, we revisit the wildest theories about the true identity of the famous graffiti artist.

One of the frontrunners should be Massive Attack’s Robert Del Naja; who is often rumored to be an elusive artist.

Based on the fact that many of Banksy’s earliest pieces appeared in Bristol in the Nineties, it is highly likely that Banksy came from Bristol or the surrounding area: he was also a member of the city’s DryBreadZ graffiti crew, along with artists Kato and Tes.

Del Naja is also from Bristol, and was actually a pioneering graffiti artist before becoming a musician. He is considered to be one of the first people to use stencils in graffiti art.

It also adds to the pile of evidence: Banksy’s work has often appeared in cities where Massive Attack recently toured. This has happened several times over the years, including in Melbourne, New York, Boston, LA, Toronto and New Orleans.

Potentially as a way to avoid scrutiny, Del Naja has spoken about Banksy, calling him “a partner”. The two run in the same Bristolian circles, and Del Naja even appeared in Banksy’s documentary Exit Through The Gift Shop (2010).

Finally, DJ Goldie seemed to confirm that Banksy was called Robert in 2018, speaking on Scroobius Pip’s Distraction Pieces podcast. “Give me a bubble letter and put it on a T-shirt and write Banksy on it and we’ve sorted it. We can sell it now,” said Goldie. he’s a great artist, I think he’s changed the world of art.”

Back in 2008 The Daily Mail published a theory that “unmasked” former public schoolboy, Robin Gunningham, as a famous street artist.

According to The Mail, the “Scarlet Pimpernel of modern art” has been traced using a photo of Banksy taken while he was in Jamaica: it shows “a man in a blue shirt and jeans, with a smile on his face and a spray can at his feet”.

This photo was taken in Bristol where it was shown to someone who claimed to know the artist. He claimed it was the real person, but Banksy denied the photo was from him.

“It doesn’t take much imagination to figure out how the name could lead to Banksy’s nickname,” the article says.

The Sun also reported on the case: “The picture bears a striking resemblance to the adorable, bespectacled boy featured in Bristol Cathedral School’s yearbook in 1989.” According to the paper, Gunningham had been involved in Bristol’s underground art scene.

Over ten years later a Mail article in October 2023 explained that the company that sold Banksy’s artwork, Pest Control Ltd. and Bansky was sued for defamation by a 56-year-old artist named Andrew Gallagher.

“I can reveal that Banksy – the pseudonym of Bristol-born Robin Gunningham, aged 53, public school – has been named as the first defendant in a legal action accusing him of defamation,” said writer Richard Eden.

However, later in the article Eden said: “The real identity of Banksy has never been confirmed – and speculation continues to surround the mysterious artist.”

Another rather strange theory: some people think that Neil Buchanan, the artist and photographer famous for presenting CITV’s children’s art show, Art Attack (1990-2007) is secretly Banksy.

Naturally, it all started with a random tweet, which quickly went viral. People loved the theory so much, Buchanan’s team had to come out with a statement, denying that he was Banksy.

“Neil Buchanan is no Banksy,” he said. “We have been inundated with questions over the weekend about the current social media story. Unfortunately this website does not have the infrastructure to answer all of these questions individually, but we can confirm that there is no truth in the rumours.”

The rumor first surfaced in 2018 when Metro published an article in which “forensic experts” claimed that the comic book illustrator and musician was, in fact, Banksy. Like Del Naja, there are some striking parallels between Hewlett and the street artist: both emerged as artists at the same time.

According to Metro, an anonymous source said, “I really believe it can be Jamie Hewlett. Or at least he seems to have everything that is Banksy”. As evidence, the source said he had followed the owner’s trail at Companies House, the UK’s public company database.

He explained: “Paranoid Pictures, the sole production company of Banksy’s documentary, Exit Through the Gift Shop, is owned by Pest Control Office ltd, the agency used to buy Banksy’s art. Pest Control Office is owned by Picturesonwalls Limited, the company used to sell the artist’s prints. more colors Pictuesonwalls ltd owned by Jamie Hewlett.

“Therefore, it seems that Jamie Hewlett is the ultimate owner of the entire Banksy company, so if he is not Banksy, he must be very close to him.”

Banksy’s publicist responded to Metro saying, “I can confirm that Jamie Hewlitt is not Banksy’s artist.”

It’s a little confusing, but it remains: in 2022 the small community of Pembrokeshire is shaken when rumors begin to spread accusing local councilor Billy Gannon of being Banksy.

“The problem I have is when I tell people, ‘I’m not Banksy,’ I can look them in the eye, and they say, ‘That’s what Banksy would say,'” the 58-year-old said. for The Guardian last year. I am being asked to prove who I am not, and someone who is not me may not exist. I mean, how am I supposed to prove that I’m not someone who doesn’t exist? How are you doing?”

After finding himself caught in an endless predicament Gannon said he had an “existential crisis” and resigned from his post. Gannon believes the rumor, shared among small-town residents on social media and via email, was started by another rival council candidate.

Gannon ends up wearing a badge that says, “I’m not Banksy” to prove he’s not Banksy.

“I’m not Banksy,” he said. “And I have the badge to prove it.”

This is an alternative theory: the artist Banksy always has a team that works with him, including publicists, administrators, coordinators, designers and videographers who have helped produce projects including Exit Through The Gift Shop and the amusement park Dismaland (2015) . With this in mind, not many would speculate that Banksy could be a group of artists and creators working together.

In the 2014 HBO documentary Banksy Does New York, artist Chris Healey actually claimed that Banksy was a group led by a blonde woman. According to Healey, she is the same blonde who appeared in Exit Through The Gift Shop.