Since his appearance on the art scene in the 1980sBanksy has remained anonymouskeeping his identity hidden even as he became one of the most famous street artists in the world. But a new Reuters investigation from Simon GardnerJames Pearsonand Blake Morrison claims to have revealed the man behind works such as “Girl with Balloon” and “Napalm.”
According to the reportBanksy is Robin Gunninghama graffiti artist born in Bristol in 1973 who later changed his name to David Jones. That's the same person named in a 2008 report from The Mail on Sunday, which wrote then that it had “come as close as anyone possibly can to revealing” who Banksy was.
A turning point in the investigation came from graffiti made by the artist in Ukrainian village of Horenkanear Kievamong buildings destroyed by shelling. According to witnesses who spoke with Reutersthe works were allegedly created within minutes by two men with covered faces using spray cans and stencils. Reuters investigators linked Gunninghamwho by then was going as David Jonesto travel to that area—working in partnershipthe outlet suggestswith Massive Attack frontman Robert Del Najaanother man who some have speculated is Banksy.
Del Naja isn't BanksyReuters reportsbut has likely partnered with him on projects throughout the yearsincluding the work in Ukraine. “The Mail on Sunday had been right in 2008 in making the case that Gunningham was Banksy,” Reuters writes. But by changing his name to one of the most popular monikers in the UKthe artist thwarted later efforts to confirm the Mail's claims.
In a statementBanksy’s longtime lawyer Mark Stephens told Reuters the artist “does not accept that many of the details contained within your enquiry are correct." He also questioned the value of the investigationsaying that as Banksy “been subjected to fixatedthreatening and extremist behavior," and that keeping his true self under wraps is a necessity.
“[Working] anonymously or under a pseudonym serves vital societal interests,” Stephens continued. “It protects freedom of expression by allowing creators to speak truth to power without fear of retaliationcensorship or persecution—particularly when addressing sensitive issues such as politicsreligion or social justice.”
Originally published in Vanity Fair Italy
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