Unmasking Banksy: The street artist is not one man but a whole brand of people

The Port Talbot Banksy. Ben Birchall/PA Wire/PA Images

The Conversation

October 22, 2023

The graffiti artist known as Banksy might be unmasked in an upcoming defamation case over his use of Instagram to invite shoplifters to go to a Guess store because it had used his imagery without permission. The case could be seen as an attempt to force Banksy to relinquish his anonymity, which, many say, has been important to his success over the years.

There has been much speculation as to the identity of the artist and he is believed by many to be Bristol’s Robin Gunningham, who was named as a co-defendant in the defamation suit. While it has not been confirmed that Banksy is Gunningham, pointing this out is in no way a revelation. Moreover, trying to find out Banksy’s identity ultimately does not matter.

There have been many investigations into the artist’s identity and it has been the topic of serious journalistic and academic investigation for years, but no one has been able to absolutely link Gunningham and Banksy.

Short of Gunningham’s admission, complete certainty is unlikely. But if Banksy’s identity is revealed, police forces around the world could bring vandalism, property destruction, criminal mischief or worse charges against the individual.

Gunningham revealing himself would also destroy the Banksy mystique.

He is not likely to snitch on himself or damage the brand. The more important reason Gunningham being Banksy doesn’t matter is because there is no Banksy – no individual who is Banksy anyway.
A collective

At one time, there was one Banksy who had a graffiti career and a famous “beef” in the subculture with London graffiti legend Robbo. That time is gone.

Banksy is now a collective of artists who work together to produce thoughtful, provocative and subversive pieces and installations. The scope and secrecy of Banksy’s larger works require the cooperation of many individuals to orchestrate, direct and produce them. The “bemusement park” Dismaland(a sinister take on Disneyland-style theme parks), the Walled Off Hotel (Banksy’s hotel and commentary on the Israel/Palestine conflict) in Palestine and Better Out Than In (Banksy’s New York-wide art residence) are examples of this.

Investigators believe that the collective includes many well-known and established artists. Bristol street artist John D’oh is among those rumoured to be involved, as is graffiti and street artist James AME72 Ame and perhaps even Massive Attack singer Robert Del Naja, among others. This is speculation. And again, this doesn’t matter.

What matters is why Banksy has been in the courts recently. More important than the current defamation suit is the 2021 rejection of Banksy’s trademark by the EU. This was the result of Banksy’s battle with street art greeting card producer Full Colour Black, who used Banksy’s image of a Monkey wearing a placard without permission. The ruling uses Banksy’s own words in the decision, stating:
The ruling notes that the street artist explicitly stated that the public is morally and legally free to reproduce, amend and otherwise use any copyright works forced upon them by third parties.

Also, “copyright is for losers”, as Banksy said in his own 2017 book, Wall and Piece.

The application to declare the trademark invalid was filed in 2018. Banksy took great umbrage at this. In October of 2019, he officially revealed the “homewares” brand Gross Domestic Product. The store is officially the website, but it debuted as a pop-up shop which couldn’t be entered.

A statement posted on the pop-up “storefront” declared that Gross Domestic Product was opened in direct response to the trademark cancellation filing and that selling Banksy “branded merchandise” was the best way to ensure ownership and control of the Banksy name. What’s important here is the clear interest in wanting to maintain control over what is and is not a Banksy and what Banksy artwork is associated with in commercial spaces.
A team of professionals

Banksy fakes are everywhere. The artist’s popularity and the fact that the bulk of Banksy’s work is stencils – which are easily reproduced by anyone with some talent, time and an Exacto knife – ensure fakes and copies will continue to be made. To combat this, Banksy has a cohort of trusted art dealers for official Banskys and an authentication service called Pest Control that chases and legitimates the provenance of Banskys.

While it is entirely legitimate for any artist to want to maintain their unique identity and control over their artwork, it’s rare for an artist to maintain an entire staffed department dedicated to it. Not that graffiti writers don’t defend their copyrights.

Revok, Futura and Rime (to name a few) have defended their ownership of their graffiti and art in court. They hired lawyers, but they didn’t have a division dedicated to preempting and preventing infringement.

Pest Control is seemingly in place to maintain the authentic and unique perspective of Banksy’s works and to confirm they were officially produced by Banksy. This is a process often referred to as brand maintenance.

So, what’s the point of all this? Well, Banksy was an individual street artist at one point. This was probably Robin Gunningham. However, Banksy is now a collective of artists who work under the Banksy brand to produce the works that the Banksy authentication service, Pest Control, officially decrees as Banksys. Banksy is also a team of lawyers, art dealers and curators who ensure that only works officially associated with the Banksy brand get the certified Banksy seal of approval.

None of this is secret, but it’s not been publicised because being a litigious art collective equally as dedicated to producing art as engaging in brand maintenance doesn’t evoke the solo, clandestine, provocative raconteur image Banksy is going for. Having a team of lawyers making sure only real Banksys are labelled as such doesn’t do much for your street cred. Still, revealing this publicly likely won’t diminish interest in Banksy or affect the price people are willing to pay for monkey stencils or self-destroying art.

Tyson Mitman, Senior Lecturer in Sociology and Criminology, York St John University

This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.

Who is Banksy? Everything we know about his identity

The full name of the renowned Bristol street artist has finally been revealed after years of uncertainty about his identity.


Connor Parker, Emily Cleary and Ellen Manning
Updated Tue, November 21, 2023 

Banksy has been linked The Crown pub in Somerset. (Getty and SWNS)

Renowned graffiti artist Banksy revealed his real name in a newly unearthed BBC interview from 2003.

Former BBC reporter Nigel Wrench interviewed the renowned street artist ahead of the 2003 Turf War show in East London, where he was heard confirming his first name.

Wrench asked Banksy if he could include his real name in the interview, asking the artist if he is called Robert Banks, in which he replied “ It’s Robbie.”

Over the years, speculation has risen about the Bristol-based artist - who had remained anonymous for decades - but his identity has never been confirmed.

In July, the BBC released an edited version of the recording where Banksy describes his approach to art as “quick,” adding “I want to get it done and dusted.”

The elusive artist’s real identity has never been officially revealed but a 2008 interview sheds light on who the real Bansky is.

After listening to the podcast, Wrench was inspired to revisit the recording where he discovered information about the artist that was never used- this was then included in a special bonus episode of the BBC podcast series.

Banksy who was in his 20s at the time of the interview, was also heard defending his art, which is considered by some to be vandalism.

"I'm not here to apologise for it," he told Wrench. "It's a quicker way of making your point, right?"

Read more: Banksy migrant ship detained in Italy for 'breaking rules'

Banksy's has become famous for his distinctive street art. (Getty) (Mondadori Portfolio via Getty Images)
Has Banksy's identity ever been revealed?

Over the years, there have been various theories and claims about Banksy's identity, but none have been confirmed.

Banksy's intentional anonymity allowed him to operate without facing legal repercussions for his often unauthorised street art, which can be considered vandalism in some jurisdictions.

It also allowed him to operate however he pleases without fear of being followed by fans or the media.

Read more: Banksy artwork sold at auction for three times estimate by band who changed name for piece

Banksy does not support the sale of his art. 

(Getty) (Mondadori Portfolio via Getty Images)

Many have tried to guess who the artist is and the general assumption is he lives in or near Bristol, but other than that very little was known about him.

In the recording of The Banksy Story (available on BBC Radio 4), he described himself as a “painter and decorator” and explaining why he likes to glue works of art to buildings like the Louvre, saying: “You don’t want to get stuck in the same line of work your whole life long, do you?”

The podcast was the latest clue as to the identity of the elusive artist, after a village pub near Glastonbury was rumoured to have been bought by him and refurbished to the tune of £1m.

At the time Owain Powell, who runs the The Crown in Pilton, Somerset, with partner Rowena Draper, denied Banksy's involvement.

What is Banksy's real name and how has he remained anonymous?

According to the recording his real name is Robert Banks, but since emerging to the scene in the early 1990s, he has always chosen to keep his identity a mystery- often wearing masks in the rare interviews he does.

He also never reveals the place he will be doing his next artwork, which is often only noticed after members of the public circulate them on social media.
How does Banksy make money?

Banksy generates income through various means, despite his anonymous persona and unconventional approach.

Part of his persona even rejects the concept of "commercial success" and has in the past encouraged people not to buy his work.

Speaking to Village Voice in 2013, the artist said: "Graffiti art has a hard enough life as it is, before you add hedge-fund managers wanting to chop it out and hang it over the fireplace.

"For the sake of keeping all street art where it belongs, I’d encourage people not to buy anything by anybody, unless it was created for sale in the first place."

Despite this, he has still likely made a significant sum of money from his work.

Read more: Art fan who pushed Banksy to make a piece in Herne Bay 'heartbroken' after work destroyed by builders

Banky's satirical graffiti has become famous across the world. (Getty) (Mondadori Portfolio via Getty Images)

He has published several books in his time, including best-seller Wall and Piece and likely generates royalties from that.

Banksy has also directed an award-winning documentary called Exit Through The Gift Shop, exploring modern and underground art, which generated more than £3m in profit.

On occasion, Banksy has offered the purchase of some of his art through Pest Control, which is the only way he approves of its sale.

His recent Cut & Run exhibition in Glasgow, attracted about 180,000 visitors, during its 10-week show – his first solo show in 14 years.
Where is Banksy from and how much is he worth?

Although it is hard to know where an anonymous artist is from he rose to fame in the early 1990s with spray-painted murals on walls in Bristol and has stayed connected to it ever since.

The latest Mail report suggests that Banksy is Bristol-born, 53-year-old and public school-educated.

Banksy's art is all over the world in London, New York City, Paris, Bethlehem and elsewhere.

It is difficult to guess how much the artist is worth, but his creations are estimated to be worth nearly £40m.

Read more: Banksy giant seagull mural ‘worth millions’ removed from house

'The Armed Dove' street art by Banksy near the Israeli separation West Bank Wall in Bethlehem. (Getty) (NurPhoto via Getty Images)

However, this valuation is based on the sale of his art which he has not condoned, and the profits usually go to the people who owned the site where the art was located.

Some of the profits of Banksy's art may have made its way back to him but no one knows for sure.
Is Banksy married?

Although never revealed publicly, Banksy fans have identified Joy Millward, who runs a lobby group that campaigns on behalf of charities, as a potential candidate for his wife.

She is married to Robin Gunningham, who has several times been named as the most likely person to be Banksy, including the latest report.

Millward and Gunningham maintain an extremely private life and very little is known about them.

Whether this is a personal choice, or because they are sick of the speculation around supposedly being Banksy and Banksy's wife or if Gunningham is in fact Banksy, we may never know.

Banksy urges fans to go and STEAL from Guess in London's Regent Street for using his art without permission - after he lost copyright fight because he refused to reveal his identity

Banksy told fans to steal clothes from GUESS after the shop used his image

The reclusive artist said the brand had used images without permission

The Flower Thrower is visible in store's window promoting new Banksy range

Banksy does not have copyright on the image after losing legal battles

By MADELEINE ROSS FOR MAILONLINE

18 November 2022

Secretive graffiti artist Banksy has urged fans to go and 'help themselves' to clothes from GUESS on Regent Street after the shop used his artwork without permission.

In a post to his 11.5million followers on Instagram, the reclusive artist called out for shoplifters to give the clothing brand a taste of their own medicine.

'Attention all shoplifters.

'Please go to GUESS on Regent Street. They've helped themselves to my artwork without asking, how can it be wrong for you to do the same to their clothes?'

Social media users were quick to support the artist.

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View gallery


The anonymous graffiti artist encouraged fans on Instagram to steal clothes from the Regent Street shop. Banksy has had a number of trademarks removed in recent years after refusing to publicly reveal his identity

One user said: 'The NERVE to say 'with graffiti by Banksy.'

Others described the brand's use of the artist's image as 'embarrassing' and some users pledged to visit the store.

The GUESS X Brandalised collection was unveiled earlier this month and mixes 'Banksy's graffiti with "Guess attitude"'.

Brandalised says it offers licences to the world's most famous graffiti and works with brands including HUAWEI and Eleven Paris.

This is not the first time that the graffiti artist, known for his clever satirical designs, has run into copyright problems.

The artist was stripped of copyright for the Flower Thrower artwork - the one used by the GUESS store - in 2020, after a two-year legal battle with card firm Full Colour Black.

Artist Banksy has lost trademarks on Radar Rat and Girl With Umbrella after refusing to reveal his identity. He was accused by judges of 'acting in bad faith'

The shop has used the Flower Thrower as part of its GUESS x Brandalised collection. The artist disputes its usage and has encouraged fans to steal clothes from the store


The artist has never revealed his identity, although The Mail on Sunday named him as former public schoolboy Robin Gunningham

Banksy refused to reveal his identity to judges who refused to uphold his copyright to the image because, 'he cannot be identified as the unquestionable owner of such works as his identity is hidden'.

The anonymous street artist was stripped of three more trademarks in 2021, for Radar Rat, Laugh Now and Girl With Umbrella, taking the number of trademarks lost to four.

Banksy was told he was 'acting in bad faith' by remaining anonymous. He had previously said 'copyright is for losers'.

Banksy was named by The Mail on Sunday as former public schoolboy Robin Gunningham, although his identity has never been confirmed.

Has Banksy been spotted in Ukraine? Video shows mystery masked figure 'painting' mural confirmed to be artwork by elusive artist

Elusive British street artist Banksy may have been 'caught' painting a mural on a destroyed building in Ukraine.

CCTV footage doing the rounds on Ukrainian TikTok shows a mask-wearing man sneaking up to a wall in the city of Irpin, near Kyiv, before 'painting' on it.

While the footage appears to be a heavily staged spoof, it is possible it still shows Banksy - whose true identity has never been revealed.

The Irpin artwork, which shows a ballerina in a neck-brace, has been confirmed as a genuine Banksy and is one of seven he has painted in Ukraine in recent days.

The idea of spoofing a video of himself being 'caught' is in keeping with Banksy's mischievous sense of humour.

Has Banksy been caught on camera creating a mural in Ukraine?

Has Banksy been spotted in Ukraine? Video shows mystery..

Staged CCTV footage doing the rounds on Ukrainian TikTok shows a man sneaking up to a wall in the city of Irpin before 'painting' a Banksy on it


While the footage is heavily staged and the painting is obviously not happening live, it is still possible the British street artist spoofed it himself - in keeping with his sense of humour


The Irpin artwork - showing a ballerina in a neck-brace - has been confirmed as a genuine Banksy and is one of seven painted in Ukraine in recent days

Other works painted by Banksy in Ukraine include a man in a bathtub - who bears a passing resemblance to Charles Darwin - painted inside a destroyed apartment in Horenka, a village five miles north-east of Irpin.

Another painted on the walls of a destroyed school in the town of Borodyanka, west of Irpin, shows a child flipping an adult man on to his back in a judo match.

The male figure appears to be Vladimir Putin - who holds a judo back belt.

More works include a mobile missile launcher that incorporates a crude drawing of a penis where the rocket should be, children playing on a tank trap as if it were a see-saw, and a woman in hair curlers and a gas mask holding a fire extinguisher.

Banksy confirmed their authenticity in a video released on his Instagram account, entitled 'in solidarity with the people of Ukraine'.

Included in the footage is a woman and her daughter outside the bombed-out school, after the judo mural had been painted.

She says: 'It was a bomb here and many people died.

'My child used to go to this kindergarten. Don't cry honey, we already cried so much, we don't have any tears left.'

An artwork confirmed to be by Banksy on a street in Kyiv shows a Russian missile launcher with a crudely drawn penis in place of the rocket

Another of Banksy's Ukraine artworks shows a woman with hair curlers and a robe on, wearing a gas mask and holding a fire extinguisher near a burned-out building

Painted on the wall of a nursery destroyed by a Russian bomb, this Banksy shows a child throwing a man who resembles Putin in a judo match - a sport in which he has a black belt

Banksy began his unconventional artistic career as a graffiti artist in Bristol in the 1990s, and came to prominence painting satirical, political murals on buildings.

His signature style became black and white portraits painted using stencils, often showing human or animal figures performing an action or interacting with the world around them.

Some of his most well known works oppose conflict, including a portrait of a man hurling a bouquet of flowers - painted on the West Bank Wall which separates Jerusalem from Israel.

He is also known for playing with the idea of fake vs real.

During a residency in New York in 2013 he set up what appeared to be a tourist-trap stall in Central Park selling what seemed like replicas of his work for $60 a piece.

Except that the stall was real, and the artworks were genuine.

Despite being in place for a full day, just one customer bought two prints which later raised in excess of $100,000 when sold at auction.

Another piece that toyed with a similar idea and the worth of art was a print of 'Girl With Balloon' that partially shredded itself while being auctioned.

The half-destroyed artwork later went back on auction, and sold for many times its initial guide price.

Another of Banksy's new artworks in Ukraine shows a man who bears a passing resemblance to Charles Darwin having a bath in a destroyed house


A dancer also features in this piece by Banksy, painted in the town of Borodyanka, which shows the female figure balancing on top of rubble


Two children appear to be playing on a tank trap as if on a see-saw in this Banksy work, which appeared in downtown Kyiv

Banksy's Ukraine artworks appeared in cities and towns devastated by Russia's nine-month long war in Ukraine.

Irpin, where the ballerina with the neck brace appeared, was the site of some of the worst atrocities committed by Putin's troops.

Hundreds of civilians were massacred during a months-long occupation after Russian forces were stopped there while trying to advance on Kyiv.

When Putin's troops retreated they left behind evidence of their war crimes, including mass graves, torture chambers, and civilian bodies lying in the streets.

Ukraine is continuing to drive back the Kremlin's troops on the battlefield, with recent retreats coming in the south and north-east.

Russian forces fled from the area around Kharkiv, Ukraine's second-largest city, in September and recently withdrew from the city of Kherson.

Around half of the territory occupied by Moscow's armies at the peak of the invasion has now been recaptured, with Kyiv asking for more weapons to get the job done.

At the top of the list is anti-aircraft batteries to protect against increased Russia air strikes, but Ukraine also wants attack jets and tanks to help with its offensives.

Banksy admits British seaside 'spraycation'

Issued on: 14/08/2021 - 

Banksy's trademark rat reclines in style on a British seaside beach

 JUSTIN TALLIS AFP

London (AFP)

Banksy, Britain's most famous street artist, on Friday confirmed what many had already suspected -- that he is indeed the author of a number of works that have appeared recently in British seaside towns.

An Instagram video clip, just over three minutes long and entitled "A Great British Spraycation", shows the elusive artist taking a summer road trip in a beat-up camper van with cans of spray paint stashed in a cooler.

In one work on the concrete sea-defence wall of a British beach, a rat lounges in a deckchair, sipping a cocktail.

Banksy's latest creations play on familiar memes of a faded seaside holiday tradition JUSTIN TALLIS AFP

In another, sticking to the seaside theme, a mechanical claw dangles above a public bench -- as if anyone who sits there is about to be plucked up like a prize in an arcade game.

Another shows a giant seagull swooping down to snatch some outsized chips -- French fries to US readers -- from a waste skip or dumpster.

A seagull swoops down on some outsized chips in a waste skip -- both common sights in modern day Britain JUSTIN TALLIS AFP

A fourth shows three children in a rickety boat. One looks ahead while another is busy bailing out water with a bucket.

Above them, appears the inscription: "We're all in the same boat."

On the roof of a bus shelter, a couple also dance to the tune of a flat-capped accordian player, in a black and white painting evoking the faded, down-at-heel feel of many of the country's once-prosperous seaside resorts.

Banksy ended speculation that artworks bearing his hallmarks which recently appeared in England are indeed his JUSTIN TALLIS AFP

In recent years, the Bristol artist, who cleverly maintains the mystery of his identity, has kept the attention of the contemporary art world with his social commentaries and causes -- migrants, opposition to Brexit, denunciation of Islamist radicals -- as well as stirring the excitement of the moneyed art markets.

Last March, a work honouring caregivers fetched a record 14.4 million pounds (about $20 million, 20 million euros).

You wait all year for a Banksy, and then a load of them come along at once... Banksy plays to fond folk memories of faded glory JUSTIN TALLIS AFP

The proceeds went to a hospital charity, Christie's auctioneers said at the time.

NOW
Coronavirus: Banksy artwork donated to emergency department in the UK

Banksy confirms series of artworks along England's east coast are his


By 9News Staff Aug 14, 2021

A series of artworks that have appeared along the east coast of England have been confirmed to be the work of mysterious street artist Banksy.
People have been flooding in from all around to see the pieces, which began appearing a week ago around the regions of Great Yarmouth, Gorleston and Cromer, Norfolk; and Lowestoft and Oulton Broad in Suffolk.
Although the works are undoubtedly painted in Banksy's trademark style, combining satirical street art, dark humour and graffiti using stencilling, they were not confirmed by the artist until yesterday via his official Instagram.

READ MORE: Is Banksy behind this prison-escape mural on the wall of a notorious British jail?


The first mural features a couple appearing to dance atop a bus shelter, accompanied by a man playing an accordion appears on Admiralty Road in Great Yarmouth.
READ MORE: Banksy encourages people to wear a mask through latest coronavirus-inspired work

Banksy has confirmed 10 pieces of street art that have appeared along the east coast of England are his. (Instagram)
The second features arcade-style toy-grabbing crane in Gorleston, and a child holding a crowbar in Lowestoft.

Another shows three children in a boat in front of the words "we're all in the same boat".
The famously secretive artist, who has never officially revealed himself to the public, is responsible for dozens of artworks on streets, walls, and bridges across England and throughout the world.

Earlier this year, an artwork depicting a prisoner's daring escape appeared on the wall of a British jail.

READ MORE: Banksy shares new artwork supporting Black Lives Matter

An artwork by Banksy depicting three children in a boat at Oulton Broad. (Instagram)

The mural shows a prison inmate making an escape from Reading Prison, a disused institution in southern England that once held the Irish poet Oscar Wilde.

In 2020, Banksy showed his support for the Black Lives Matter movement with a new piece of art and a stark message: "People of Colour are being failed by the system".

The work, also unveiled in an Instagram post, depicts how George Floyd's death shook the US and the word.

Banksy-funded ship saves migrants in Mediterranean

Banksy auction for bushfire relief

Street artist Banksy 'shreds' artwork

EU rules in favor of Banksy in trademark dispute, allowing him to remain anonymous



The European Union’s Intellectual Property Office has ruled in favor of the British street artist Banksy in a trademark dispute with the greeting card company Full Colour Black. Photo courtesy of EUIPO


Nov. 18 (UPI) -- The European Union's Intellectual Property Office has ruled in favor of the British street artist Banksy in a trademark dispute with the greeting card company Full Colour Black.

The decision by the EUIPO's Fifth Board of Appeal reverses a 2021 decision that invalidated a trademark that had been registered in 2018 by Pest Control, the body that authenticates works by the anonymous artist, legal documents show.

The dispute centers on a 2002 stencil of a monkey with a sandwich board sign that reads, "Laugh now, but one day we'll be in charge."

Full Colour Black applied for a cancellation of Banksy's trademark, claiming his work was registered "in bad faith."

RELATEDBanksy unveils new work on war-damaged building in Ukraine

The EUPO's Cancellation Division had declared the trademark invalid on grounds including that much of the evidence for the trademark refer to Banksy and not Pest Control, his authenticating body, but that the trademark was not applied for in his name -- meaning that Banksy may have been required to lose his anonymity to keep the trademark.

Pest Control had argued "against the false narrative of Banksy as an individual as what is relevant is the corporate intention" of the EU trademark proprietor when filing the application, the documents read.

"It is also noted that as Banksy has chosen to be anonymous and cannot be identified this would hinder him from being able to protect this piece of art under copyright laws without identifying himself, while identifying himself would take away from the secretive persona which propels his fame and success," the EUIPO said.

The EUIPO had noted at the time that the work was "disseminated widely" and that Banksy had previously spoken strongly against copyright and that his work was free to reproduce.

In the latest documents, the EUIPO said that Full Colour Black failed to show that the cancellation of the trademark was justified or that Pest Control had acted on bad faith or with "clearly dishonest behavior" when it filed for the contested mark.

Full Colour Black was ordered to bear Banksy's costs for the proceedings.

The news came as Banksy hit out at the clothing retailer Guess for allegedly using his designs without his permission.

"They've helped themselves to my artwork without asking, how can it be wrong for you to do the same to their clothes?" Banksy wrote on Instagram, while apparently encouraging shoplifters to target the store.

Guess has advertised a new collection of clothing with "graffiti by Banksy" which it said was created with Bradalised, a company that licenses designs by graffiti artists.

However, if Banksy were to legally challenge Guess or Brandalised over the collection, he may once again risk his anonymity.

Last week, Banksy made headlines when he unveiled a new work stenciled on the side of a shelling-damaged building in Ukraine.

The work, posted to Banksy's Instagram account, features a side view of a human figure performing a handstand on a pile of rubble with their hair tied back into a bun in his signature stencil black-and-white stencil style.

Legal row could finally force mystery artist Banksy to reveal his real name


Two art collectors are taking legal action against artist over his ‘refusal’ to confirm the authenticity of one of his famous images



Dalya Alberge

Sat 9 Mar 2024

His identity has long been a matter of speculation and investigation, but Banksy may be forced to reveal his real name if a dispute over a print of the late Queen Elizabeth depicted as a bejewelled primate ends up in court.

Two art collectors are taking legal action against the graffiti artist’s company, Pest Control, following its apparent refusal to confirm the authenticity of Monkey Queen. After three years of trying to get an answer, Nicky Katz and Ray Howse have lost patience and are suing Pest Control for breach of contract.


They point to Pest Control’s website, which states that it will issue a certificate of authenticity for “paintings, prints, sculptures and other attempts at creativity”. It likens the certificate to “an MOT for the art world”: “[It] means you can buy, sell or insure a piece of art knowing it’s legitimate and the wheels won’t fall off.”

Banksy, known for his stencil-based images, has described himself as a “quality vandal” ridiculing authority figures through artworks in public places. His partially shredded painting Love is in the Bin sold for more than £18.5m at auction in 2021, while his signed prints sell for five and six figures. Pest Control was set up by the artist in 2008 after fake prints were sold online and it plays a key role in the market for his work. An authentication certificate is vital to achieve the maximum price when selling his work, it has been claimed.'

Massive Attack’s Robert Del Naja, pictured at a 2013 exhibition, has been suspected of being Banksy. Photograph: Oliver Rudkin/Shutterstock

Banksy’s real identity has been a celebrated mystery among the media and public for decades. Massive Attack’s Robert Del Naja, Jamie Hewlett of Gorillaz and Neil Buchanan, the former host of TV’s Art Attack, have all been suspected.

In 2008, the Daily Mail “unmasked” him as Robin Gunningham, a then 34-year old former public schoolboy, although the artist denied this. No one has been able to absolutely link Gunningham and Banksy. To do so would destroy his mystique and potentially the price his work fetches.

A 2003 interview with a BBC reporter contains the only known instance of him revealing his first name. In the recording, which has recently emerged, Banksy is asked if his real name is “Robert Banks”, to which he replies: “It’s Robbie.”

Katz and Howse say they have tried in vain to obtain a verdict from Pest Control either way on whether Monkey Queen is one of Banksy’s genuine prints from a limited edition of 150.


They sent the artwork to Pest Control, explaining that they had acquired it for £30,000 in 2020 from the estate of a recently deceased, established Banksy collector, but that there seemed to be no accompanying paperwork detailing its collecting history.

Katz, 65, a Londoner who owns a quarry and an art collection that includes a large number of Banksy works, said that Monkey Queen is worth between £55,000 and £70,000 and he is outraged by Pest Control’s delay: “We’re in no man’s land, and it’s a lot of money. They claim to be the official validators of this artist’s work. But this has been going on for three years. They’re just sitting on the fence – they won’t say whether it’s right or wrong. We have had our tails pulled for the whole three years.”

He said, addressing Pest Control: “‘You’ve had the work; you’ve inspected it. Is it right or is it wrong? That’s the service that you claim to provide. If it’s wrong, that’s OK, because we will have a claim on the estate the piece was bought from. If it’s right, great. Just give us the paperwork we need to validate it.’ They’re not providing a proper service.”

Legal action is now the only option, he added: “We’re suing Pest Control for breach of contract. They’ve had three years to do what I paid them [£50] to do, which by any standard is plenty of time to deal with the situation.”

The Banksy artwork Well Hung Lover, in Bristol, was defaced by paintball in 2009. 

Photograph: Christopher Jones/Rex


He added: “I am very disappointed with Banksy. He has made it impossible for anyone to validate a piece of his work without his certificate. That affects the value of his work dramatically. If I had a painting by Leonardo da Vinci, there is no ‘Leonardo Control’ to validate it. I would simply take it to the experts to tell me whether or not it’s a work of art by Leonardo da Vinci. In the case of Banksy, even if you have expert opinion saying that the piece is one of his, if it doesn’t have a Pest Control certificate, you can’t rely on that expert.”

John Brandler, a leading specialist dealer in graffiti artists, said: “I believe that this is a genuine Banksy, but it has taken three years for these ­collectors to get nowhere with Pest Control. This is pure market manipulation, because Banksy will only certify works that he wants particular individuals to have.

“That’s not authentication. If someone discovers a Titian in an attic, nobody says: ‘Who are you and why have you got it?’ It’s a Titian or it isn’t. With Banksy, it’s: ‘Who are you and why should I tell you?’”

But Brandler observed that Banksy’s prices are “well down on what they were three years ago”. He singled out Police Car, which depicts a vehicle lifted up on bricks: “Two to three years ago, it would have fetched between £1.5m and £2m. It sold in Paris about a month ago for €300,000.”

Pest Control said: “Our authentication process is robust and thorough and sometimes protracted. We have issued many thousands of certificates of authenticity.”

Banksy's NHS tribute sells for record $30 million as UK marks coronavirus lockdown anniversary
3/23/2021

Banksy's 'Game Changer' painting sells for record $30 million at auction

VIDEO 

Duration: 1 minute 24 seconds

  Banksy's NHS tribute sells for record $30 million as UK marks coronavirus lockdown anniversary - ABC News

A Banksy painting showing a young boy playing with a toy nurse as a superhero has sold for more than $30 million, setting an auction record for the elusive British street artist.

Key points:

'Game Changer' pays tribute to frontline health workers during the pandemic

It fetched a record price on the one-year anniversary of the UK going into coronavirus lockdown

Banksy has released a series of COVID-themed artwork over the past year

'Game Changer', which was unveiled last May at University Hospital Southampton, paid tribute to the frontline workers of Britain's National Health Service (NHS) in their fight against the COVID-19 pandemic.

The black-and-white artwork shows a young boy lifting a nurse, her arm stretched and wearing a cape, while traditional superheroes Batman and Spiderman lie in a bin behind him.

In a Christie's auction streamed live, the painting sold for a hammer price of 14.4 million pounds ($26 million).

Added fees gave it a final price of 16.758 million pounds ($30 million), a world auction record for Banksy, according to Christie's.

The painting had carried an estimated value of around $4-6 million going into the auction.

Christie's said proceeds would go towards "supporting the wellbeing of University Hospital Southampton staff and patients".

The sale took place on Tuesday as Britons marked one year since Prime Minister Boris Johnson ordered the nation into its first lockdown.

A minute's silence was observed to remember the more than 126,000 people in the UK who have lost their lives to the virus.

Banksy has been busy during the pandemic, releasing several pieces that have caused amusement and sparked topical debate.

Last April, he created a new artwork in his bathroom that showed his trademark stencilled rats running amok around the sink and toilet.

The craze over toilet paper inspired Banksy in the early stages of the pandemic.

(Instagram: Banksy)

He posted photos of the work on his Instagram account as he abided by stay-at-home orders, along with the comment: "My wife hates it when I work from home."

In October, his Show Me the Money work, a twist on the impressionist's painting, sold for $13.9 million at auction.

And then in December, a mural of a sneezing woman by Banksy appeared on a house at the end of one of the steepest streets in Bristol, his birthplace.

'Aachoo!!' was unveiled in Banksy's hometown of Bristol last December.(Reuters: Rebecca Naden)

Banksy posted pictures of the work on his official Instagram account, along with the comment "Aachoo!!"

The mural showed the woman's false teeth propelled through the air and her handbag and walking stick sent flying by the violent sneeze.

London Transport ordered cleaners to remove Banksy's trademark rats last July.

(Instagram: Banksy)

But his work isn't universally beloved — his undercover graffiti on the London Underground last July — was scrubbed clean by Transport for London.

Banksy, whose true identity is a closely guarded secret, has been an active artist since 1990.

ABC/Reuters

Why has an exhibition of Banksy replicas popped up in Russia


Jonny Walfisz
Tue, 24 January 2023 


A collection of Banksy replicas has gone on show in Russia, despite political opposition by the anonymous artist.

The St. Petersburg exhibition contains 150 replicas of Banksy’s work and has quickly become one of the city’s most visited places.

The collection is a transfer from the Moscow exhibition “To Find Banksy” that was put together before the Russian invasion of Ukraine began. The organisers have stressed that they don’t want to concentrate on politics.


But trying to keep anonymous street-artist Bansky apolitical is a fool’s errand. All the more so for an unauthorised exhibition of replicas taking place in a country he actively campaigns against.

Since Russia invaded Ukraine in February 2022, Banksy has highlighted the Ukrainian people’s plight. Just this month, he facilitated an auction of 50 screen prints to raise funds for a charity helping civilians affected by the conflict. The auction was cyber-attacked by Russian IP addresses.


The exhibition in St. Petersburg includes full-sized sculptures and entire recreated rooms with replicas of Banksy’s iconic graffiti works. None of the artworks Banksy has made in Ukraine feature.

“I was even wondering whether his last works that are against the special military operation would be here. I think it would be correct to ask ourselves whether we need all this so that we think of it. Banksy suggests many things to us, especially in the new works he did. I even think his new works are missing here. They could have been added,” says Kirill Kovalev, a visitor.

“To be honest, I draw no parallel between political views and art. I think it should be distinguished. Therefore, it's his choice (to speak out against the special military operation in Ukraine),” says Maria Potapova, another visitor.

A woman takes a selfie at an artwork that was made by British street artist Banksy on a building destroyed by the Russian army in Borodyanka, Kyiv region, Ukraine - AP Photo

Banksy already condemned an unofficial exhibition of actual works in Moscow in 2018. The unofficial ‘Banksy’ exhibition opened in Moscow’s Central House of Artist Museum but has since moved through Russia, Spain, Portugal, the US, and Hong Kong.

Over three million people have seen the unauthorised exhibition.

“What the hell is that?” Banksy wrote in a text exchange when he found out.

Banksy responded to the 2018 exhibition in typical fashion, posting just the text exchange.

“You know it’s got nothing to do with me right? I don’t charge people to see my art unless there’s a fairground wheel,” he wrote, referencing his 2015 Dismaland exhibition, a parody of Disneyland, in the UK.


As much as he was against the exhibition, he didn’t take further action as he explains: “Hmm—not sure I’m the best person to complain about people putting up pictures without getting permission.”

Banksy has allowed some of his works to enter Russia more recently though. In 2021, he authorised the auction of eight works including a print of 'Love is in the Air' and pieces from the Dismaland theme park.

Auctioned at the Tver City Museum and Exhibition Center northwest of Moscow, the museum’s Elizaveta Maksimova told reporters: “There are certificates for the exhibits which prove they are authentic and signed by Banksy.”

Check out the video above for footage of the St. Petersburg exhibition.

Banksy’s new face mask-themed artwork removed from London Underground carriage by Transport for London

TfL says piece violates ‘strict anti-graffiti policy’ but invites artist to recreate message ‘in a suitable location’

Andy Gregory

Transport for London (TfL) has removed Banksy’s new coronavirus-themed artwork from a London Underground carriage.

The Bristol artist uploaded footage captioned ”If you don’t mask – you don’t get” to social media on Tuesday afternoon, showing him spray-painting a Circle line train with stencilled depictions of rats.

One creature appeared to be sneezing pale blue droplets of virus across a carriage window, while one struggled under a face mask and another used the protective gear as a parachute.

Hours later, TfL confirmed that the artwork was removed “some days ago due to our strict anti-graffiti policy”, but said it would welcome Banksy to recreate his message “in a suitable location”.

“We appreciate the sentiment of encouraging people to wear face coverings, which the vast majority of customers on our transport network are doing,” a TfL spokesperson said.

Inside Banksy's Dismaland

Show all 13  

https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/banksy-artwork-coronavirus-london-underground-tfl-removed-a9619406.html





“In this particular case, the work was removed some days ago due to our strict anti-graffiti policy.

“We’d like to offer Banksy the chance to do a new version of his message for our customers in a suitable location

The anonymous street artist posted the footage to Instagram as health secretary Matt Hancock announced a long-awaited change to the government’s rules on face coverings, making them mandatory in English shops from 24 July. Their usage has been decreed on public transport since 15 June.

The video begins with a laptop playing footage showing the London Underground being deep cleaned in May.

Banksy – clad in a white boiler suit, mask, goggles, blue gloves and an orange hi-viz jacket with the message “stay safe” printed on it – climbs on board a train posing as a TfL worker.

The video shows him ushering a masked passenger to move back, before stencilling various rats across the carriage.

It closes with a message sprayed on the wall of a Tube station reading “I get lockdown” with the doors of the Tube carriage closing to reveal the message, “but I get up again”, as Chumbawamba’s “Tubthumping” plays in the background.

His work was well-received on social media, with acclaimed Portuguese street artist, Vhils, writing: “Back to Basics”, with three fire emojis, and British artist Paul Jackson replying: “Awesome as always.”

It is one of a number of artworks he has created during the coronavirus lockdown.

In April, he created a series of rats causing mayhem in his bathroom and posted the caption: “My wife hates it when I work from home.”

Later that month, a large face mask was placed on his world-famous piece The Girl With The Pierced Eardrum on Bristol harbourside. In May, an artwork entitled Game Changer, showing an NHS nurse as a superhero toy, went on display at Southampton General Hospital.

In June, Banksy posted a piece inspired by Black Lives Matter with a caption, part of which read: “People of colour are being failed by the system.”

The following day, a statue of slave trader Edward Colston was toppled by protesters in Bristol and thrown into the harbour during a Black Lives Matter march.

Banksy posted a sketch showing his idea for the empty plinth – retrieving the statue from the water, putting it back on the plinth with cables around its neck and life-size bronze statues of protesters pulling it down, ending the caption by by stating: “A famous day commemorated.”

Additional reporting by PA

Banksy's latest artwork destroyed for 'vandalism' even though it could be worth millions

Posted 9 hours ago by Joanna Taylor in news

Screengrab: Twitter

Banksy has once again stirred up controversy with a daring piece of street art, this time spray-painting the inside of a London tube carriage.

The Bristol artist shared a video of himself disguised as a cleaner creating the artwork which depicts his signature rats wearing face masks.



The paintings have already been removed from the Circle Line train for violating the Transport for London's vandalism policy.

A TFL spokesperson said that the artwork was removed because of their "strict anti-graffiti policy", but invited Banksy to recreate it at a "suitable location".

The artwork, which depicts a rat sneezing across a window, also draws on lyrics from Chumbawamba's 'Tubthumping' with "I get locked down but I get up again" painted across the carriage doors.

Predictably, Banksy's decision to use a tube carriage as his canvas sparked anger online and accusations of criminal damage.

But other people praised the mask-themed mural as a work of "genius".

Some even questioned why Transport for London would destroy the artwork which could be worth "millions".

Banksy's most expensive piece of art, 'Devolved Parliament', sold for $12 million at auction last year.

But his smaller artworks routinely make hundreds of thousands of pounds if sold.

His painting 'Girl with Balloon' sold for over one million pounds at Sotheby's in 2018, and only increased in value when it promptly shredded itself.

Banksy's latest paintings aren't the first to sport face masks.

In April, a mask was added to his artwork 'Girl with a Pierced Eardrum' in Bristol.

It is unclear who added the mask to the painting, which Banksy completed in 2014.

Whether you love or hate Banksy, and whether you consider his paintings the work of an artistic genius or vandalism, his work is certainly extremely lucrative.

But perhaps having it scrubbed away (something the graffiti artist is certainly no stranger to) is more in line with his anti-establishment art style than having it sold for millions in an auction house, anyway.

Banksy exhibition in Glasgow attracts record crowds


BBC
Sun, August 27, 2023 

An exhibition by graffiti artist Banksy at Glasgow's Gallery of Modern Art attracted 180,000 visitors during its 10-week run.

Gallery bosses said the artist's first official solo exhibition for 14 years broke box office records.

The exhibition, which closes on Monday, was also open during the night at weekends.

A message on the website for the "Cut and Run" exhibition says, "thanks Glasgow, it's been a blast".

The show was a behind-the-scenes look at the process of Banksy making his work, with original sketches on display as well as the stencils, which have been painted on to give them a new lease of life.

Banksy has not given a face-to-face interview since 2003 and has never revealed his true identity, but he is believed to be around 50 and from the Bristol area.

Banksy to stage first solo exhibition in 14 years in Glasgow


The traffic-coned Glasgow statue that inspired Banksy


Who is the mysterious artist Banksy?

Gareth James, manager of the Glasgow Gallery of Modern Art, said: "Cut & Run has welcomed a new and diverse audience, from primary school pupils to octogenarians, from all areas of society and corners of the globe.

"Every day we open our doors to queues of hundreds of people waiting for walk-up tickets.

"Free community tickets and overnight opening hours have extended the museum's reach far beyond our usual scope."

Visitors were banned from using any form of camera at the exhibition but Mr James said this was not a problem.

He added: "We expected some resistance but in fact visitors embraced the no phones rule, enjoying the time and space to see the work unhindered."

A queue of people hoping to get tickets on the day had formed by 07:30 on Sunday

The exhibition will now go on tour, with Banksy asking for suggestions for where it should go next in the world.

The large exhibition also includes a detailed model explaining exactly how Banksy managed to shred his Girl With Balloon painting during an auction at Sotheby's in London in 2018.

The work had just been auctioned for £1m, when an alarm went off inside the frame and the picture dropped into a hidden shredder.

A malfunction meant that the destruction stopped just over halfway.

Other exhibits included the Union flag stab vest worn by Stormzy when he headlined Glastonbury in 2019 and pieces previously only seen in Bethlehem in the West Bank, including a pillow fight between an Israeli soldier and a Palestinian citizen.

A new version of Kissing Coppers, which first appeared in 2004, is among the works on show in Glasgow

Banksy has held an exhibition in Glasgow previously though it was a far lower profile event.

He was a relative unknown when in 2001 he jointly put on Peace Is Tough at The Arches venue, with Jamie Reid, famous for his design work with The Sex Pistols.

The artist also revealed there was a reason why the exhibition was being held at Glasgow's Gallery of Modern Art.

In a sign welcoming people to the venue, Banksy explained that he brought the show there because his "favourite work of art in the UK" is right outside.

He writes: "For anyone who isn't aware - the statue out the front has had a cone on its head continuously for the past 40 odd years. Despite the best efforts of the council and the police, every time one is removed another takes its place."

Banksy asks public where Cut and Run art exhibition should open after Glasgow

Hannah Roberts
Sun, 27 August 2023 

The original stencil piece of the girl with the heart balloon on display at Banksy’s Cut & Run at Glasgow’s GoMA 

(Image: Jane Barlow/PA)

BANKSY is seeking the help of the public to decide where he should next host his art exhibition Cut & Run.

In June, the exhibition, which showcases 25 years of stencil graffiti, opened in Glasgow’s Gallery of Modern Art (GoMA).

The exhibition closes to the public on Monday August 28, following a 10-week run, and art enthusiasts and fans of Banksy can now put forward their suggestions for where the exhibition should open next.

The artist seems to be unsure where Cut & Run will open as the exhibition’s official website, cutandrun.co.uk, claims that organisers “want to take this show on the road but have no idea where to go to next”.

It also asks for those interested to mail their suggestions to venues@cutandrun.co.uk and include some photos, if possible, to illustrate the reasoning behind their choice.

The website says: “Mail us with your suggestions and include a few pics if possible.

“A specific location or venue would be ideal, please don’t just write ‘Come to Iran!’.”

Discussing the exhibition in Glasgow, GoMA manager Gareth James said: “Cut and Run has welcomed a new and diverse audience, from primary school pupils to octogenarians, from all areas of society and corners of the globe.

“Every day we open our doors to queues of hundreds of people waiting for walk-up tickets.

“Free community tickets and overnight opening hours have extended the museum’s reach far beyond our usual scope.”

Speaking on the artists decision to ban the use of phones at the exhibition, James added: “We expected some resistance but in fact visitors embraced the no phones rule; enjoying the time and space to see the work unhindered.”

Art pieces in the Cut and Run exhibition include the stencils for Girl With Balloon and Kissing Coppers.

There is also a model that explains how the artist managed to shred Girl With Balloon during an auction at Sotheby’s in London in 2018.

The artwork hit the headlines when it partially self-destructed at the conclusion of an auction in which it had been sold for over £1 million.

The canvas was passed through a secret shredder hidden inside the frame, which left the bottom half in tatters.

The artist renamed the work Love Is In The Bin and it sold at auction for £18.58 million in 2021.