Who is Banksy? Everything we know about anonymous artist (2024)

Who is Banksy? Everything we know about anonymous artist (1)Who is Banksy? Everything we know about anonymous artist (2)Getty Images

The work in Norfolk has been uncovered over the past week

Who is Banksy?

He's one of the world's most famous artists, but despite his worldwide following his identity remains, officially at least, unknown.

Often described as "elusive" and "secretive" by the press, the "guerrilla street artist" counts A-list celebrities among his fans.

A hero to some, a vandal to others, his artworks sell for eye-watering sums, with councils and landowners rushing to profit from - or whitewash - buildings chosen as his latest canvas.

And yet, the self-styled prankster and anti-establishment figure has consistently managed to stay anonymous.

But a re-discovered BBC interview appears to confirm Banksy's first name.

So what do we actually know about him?

Early career

Who is Banksy? Everything we know about anonymous artist (3)Who is Banksy? Everything we know about anonymous artist (4)Getty Images

Banksy has become one of the world's most famous artists

Banksy rose to prominence after he began spray-painting his trademark stencilled designs around Bristol in the early 1990s.

The city's influential music and arts scene - which birthed acts such as Massive Attack and Portishead - is said to have inspired his work.

Banksy himself is believed to have been born in the nearby town of Yate, South Gloucestershire, in the early 1970s.

His first large stencil mural - The Mild Mild West - which depicts a teddy bear throwing a Molotov co*cktail at three riot police, was painted in the Stokes Croft area of Bristol in 1999.

In the early 2000s he moved to London and continued to attract attention with his trademark stencilled artwork.

Laughing all the way to the Bank(sy)

Who is Banksy? Everything we know about anonymous artist (5)Who is Banksy? Everything we know about anonymous artist (6)Getty Images

The Mild Mild West was Banksy's first large stencil mural

By the mid 2000s Banksy was becoming a celebrity himself.

His works became more ambitious, popping up in cities all over the world.

Each new piece became a newsworthy event and the myth of him as a masked, anonymous Robin Hood-type character poking fun at the powers-that-be began to emerge.

His works began to sell for huge amounts of money, with customers including Paul Smith, Brad Pitt, Angelina Jolie and Christina Aguilera.

He began to stage exhibitions of his work, putting on sell-out events in cities including Los Angeles and London - and later his hometown of Bristol.

In 2009 his Banksy v Bristol Museum show drew huge crowds, and in 2015 his Dismaland exhibition took over a derelict seafront lido in Weston-super-Mare.

His 2010 documentary film Exit Through The Gift Shop - showing Banksy at work - was nominated for an Academy Award and a Bafta.

Banksy unmasked?

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Banksy's Girl with Balloon was shredded seconds after the hammer fell at an auction at Sotheby's in October 2018

Quite a few names have been linked with Banksy in the past: Robert Del Naja, Robin Gunningham, Art Attack's Neil Buchanan or a Bristol art collective?

The Mail on Sunday claimed in what it called a world exclusive expose that Banksy is a "former public schoolboy brought up in middle-class suburbia" called Robin Gunningham.

The BBC has recently re-discovered an interview in which the artist appears to confirm his first name is Robbie.

In the 2003 recording, BBC reporter Nigel Wrench asks him if he is called "Robert Banks", and the artist replies: "It's Robbie."

The full interview can be heard on BBC Sounds as Radio 4'sThe Banksy Story.

A book of photos recently released by Banksy's former agent, Steve Lazarides, claims to show the artist at work, although none showed his face.

Mr Gunningham has never commented on the speculation.

Who is Banksy? Everything we know about anonymous artist (9)Who is Banksy? Everything we know about anonymous artist (10)Steve Lazarides

A photograph by Banksy's former agent is said to show the artist at work

Robert Del Naja, of Bristol trip-hop group Massive Attack, has also been linked.

The vocalist, better known as 3D, has denied this, although has claimed to know the identity of the "real" Banksy, referring to him as a friend.

Could that friend be Neil Buchanan, host of ITV show Art Attack? He was forced to deny any links to Banksy after a suggestion he was behind the spray cans started to trend on social media.

Another possibility is that Banksy is actually not one person but many, who operate as an art collective.

Of course, all of the above could be false trails, in the hope to throw us all off the name of real artist.

Banksy's notoriously tight-lipped PR reps refused, once again, to be drawn on his true identity.

A summer spraycation

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A child with a crowbar plays with sand in this design on the side of an electrical shop in Lowestoft

Banksy's work has come to the fore again in recent days after 10 pieces of street art appeared across Suffolk and Norfolk.

People have flocked to see his "Great British Spraycation" street art, with designs adorning streets in Great Yarmouth, Gorleston and Cromer in Norfolk; and Lowestoft and Oulton Broad in Suffolk.

Speculation was rife about if the work was indeed Banksy's for several days after the artwork was spotted, before the artist himself confirmed it was his through a video on his Instagram page.

The designs in the East Anglian coastal towns have a suitably seaside feel, with seagulls dive-bombing for chips, children playing with sand and in boats, as well as a rat leaning back in a deckchair while enjoying a co*cktail.

A miniature stable at Merrivale Model Village has also been given the Banksy treatment, with the wording "Go big or go home" sprayed on to it.

What if he was unmasked?

John Brandler, director of Brandler Art Galleries, said it was convenient for Banksy to remain anonymous "so he can walk down the street" without being recognised.

"But to the art world it doesn't matter any more. The brand is so big now. His people have made the brand Banksy such an incredible thing, it wouldn't make any difference now [if he was unmasked].

"His statements are so strong. It's brilliant marketing. People are buying by brand.

"[When he started] being anonymous helped him stand out - the masked crusader - but now it doesn't matter any more.

"He's very clever. He hasn't flooded the market. He's a brilliant businessman."

Who is Banksy? Everything we know about anonymous artist (13)Who is Banksy? Everything we know about anonymous artist (14)

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Who is Banksy? Everything we know about anonymous artist (2024)

FAQs

Who is Banksy Anonymous? ›

During his early years, Banksy was anonymous for fear of being prosecuted for the criminal damage inflicted by his street art. Nowadays, he continues to paint covertly to dodge the limelight and protect that air of mystery so distinctive to graffiti artists.

Who is the unknown artist Banksy? ›

Banksy is a pseudonymous England-based street artist, political activist, and film director whose real name and identity remain unconfirmed and the subject of speculation.

What is Banksy's real identity? ›

In what it declared to be a world exclusive, The Mail on Sunday unveiled Banksy as Mr Gunningham, "a former public schoolboy brought up in middle-class suburbia". Compounding this theory, last year the BBC unearthed an interview in which the artist appears to confirm his first name as "Robbie".

How to be an anonymous artist? ›

So here are the steps you need to take to become an anonymous artist.
  1. Choose a Stage Name and Persona. ...
  2. File for an Anonymous LLC. ...
  3. Register for an EIN. ...
  4. Open a Business Bank Account. ...
  5. Grab a Domain and a Custom Email. ...
  6. Trademark Your Stage Name. ...
  7. Register Your Stage Name in Your PRO (ASCAP, BMI, etc.) ...
  8. Start Your Social Media Pages.
Mar 12, 2023

Why does Banksy destroy his art? ›

Indeed, Banksy's original aim to destroy his artwork and point a finger at the futility of the art market's money-driven approach was completely overthrown as the work soared in value to become the most expensive Banksy artwork ever sold at auction.

Who is Banksy's lawsuit? ›

Nicky Katz and Ray Howse sued Banksy's company, Pest Control, for what they say is a refusal to authenticate their print of “Monkey Queen,” which they acquired for around $38,500. If the lawsuit makes it to court, the artist — who's only revealed his first name, Robbie — might have to give up his full identity.

How much is Banksy worth? ›

Generally speaking, an original Banksy painting can cost between £200,000 - £300,000 GBP. Prices for signed prints can start from around £35,000 GBP and unsigned works from about £12,0000 GBP. Below we share an original price list from publishers Pictures on Walls. Read more about the most expensive Banksy artworks.

What is Banksy's most expensive piece of art? ›

1. Love is in the Bin: $25.4 million (£18.6m) Described as quite possibly the biggest prank in art history, Banksy's most expensive artwork is also his most audacious stunt.

How old is Banksy? ›

Banksy
Born28 July 1973 or 1974 (age 47/48) Bristol, United Kingdom
NationalityBritish
Known forGraffiti Street art Bristol underground scene Sculpture Social commentary
AwardsToronto Film Critics Association Awards – Best First Feature 2010 Independent Spirit Award for Best Documentary Feature
1 more row

What type of artist is Banksy? ›

Banksy is an anonymous graffiti artist who may have been born in Bristol, England. He is known for his anti-authoritarian art, often done in public places. He came to notice as a freehand graffiti artist. With wry wit and stealth, Banksy merged graffiti art with installation and performance art.

How is Banksy still secret? ›

By keeping his face covered and often making his art in masquerade, Banksy remains in the shadows. As one of the most successful street artists in the world, Banksy also has an extensive team behind him protecting the secret.

What is Banksy most famous piece? ›

Girl with Balloon is undoubtedly one of Banksy's most recognizable works. The image of a little girl reaching towards a red heart-shaped balloon was created as part of a London series of street art works starting in 2002.

Who is Banksy for kids? ›

Banksy is a street artist who is famous for using spray paints and stencils to create art in public places. A stencil is a sheet of material that has shapes or letters cut out of it. When paint is applied over it, it leaves an image on the surface. Banksy often includes the urban environment in their artwork.

Who is suspected to be Banksy? ›

Robin Gunningham is a name widely speculated to be the true identity of Banksy. However, there hasn't been any official confirmation from Banksy himself or concrete evidence linking Gunningham definitively to Banksy.

What is the controversy with Banksyland? ›

The Controversy Surrounding Banksyland

Some critics have accused the exhibit of being a crass unauthorized commercialization of street art, while others have praised it for bringing Banksy's works and activism to a wider audience.

Does Banksy have a signature? ›

Various works by the elusive street artist Banksy. The artist's trademark signature stencil is based on Stop. Other fonts used in works by the artist include stencilled versions of Courier New, Arial and Monotype Corsiva.

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