The mystery that has fueled the myth of contemporary urban art for decades seems to have reached a definitive conclusion. A major investigation conducted by the international news agency Reuters has discovered that behind the pseudonym Banksy lies Robin Gunningham, a graffiti artist born in Bristol in 1973 who later took the name David Jones.
The discovery is the result of meticulous investigative journalism work that has cross-referenced field testimonies, video analysis, and a careful examination of the elusive English street artist's whereabouts.
The investigation focused on works that appeared in Ukraine in late 2022 , the authorship of which was confirmed by Banksy himself on his Instagram account, as an act of solidarity with the victims of the Russian military intervention. Reuters reporters visited the sites where the graffiti had appeared, particularly in the town of Horenka, and gathered information from residents, showing them photographs by various street artists, including Frenchman Thierry Guetta, to help identify the real Banksy.
All the evidence pointed to Gunningham, who was identified by the Daily Mail tabloid back in 2008. The newspaper claimed at the time that its year-long investigation had "come as close as possible to revealing" Banksy's identity, though it remained cautious. Photos of Gunningham also surfaced, but the artist's manager was quick to deny the scoop, further fueling the aura of secrecy surrounding the star .
Banksy later took the name David Jones but it is unclear whether he still uses it, especially in light of the discovery made by Reuters which was picked up by media outlets around the world.
It was also revealed that Robert Del Naja, frontman of the trip-hop band Massive Attack and a long-time Banksy prospect, was a close collaborator of the street artist . The two subsequently created several works together.
(Unioneonline/vl)