A detailed Reuters investigation claims to have unmasked the elusive Banksy, potentially ending decades of speculation about the famed street artist’s identity. Though, the artist themselves has yet to confirm the findings.
“Banksy is dead,” writes “Die Zeit” – and there may be some truth to that sentiment. The decades-long mystery surrounding the pseudonym that fueled the myth of contemporary street art appears to be finally solved. Banksy has been unmasked, according to a detailed report by three Reuters journalists.
Is Robin Gunningham Banksy?
The journalists concluded that behind the Banksy pseudonym is Robin Gunningham, a graffiti artist born in 1973 in Bristol, who later legally changed his name to David Jones.
The discovery, the journalists say, is the result of painstaking investigative work: local witnesses were interviewed, video analyses were conducted, and the artist’s movements were carefully tracked.
Research in Ukraine
The investigation focused on works that appeared in Ukraine in late 2022. Banksy confirmed authorship of those pieces via his Instagram profile at the time.
The Reuters reporters visited the locations where the graffiti appeared, particularly the town of Horenka. There, they gathered information from residents, who were shown photos of various street artists to help identify the real Banksy. All evidence pointed to Gunningham, who was first identified by the British newspaper “Daily Mail” as the man behind the pseudonym back in 2008.
Remaining Cryptic
Banksy has not yet responded to the Reuters investigation, neither on his Instagram account nor on his official website.
From Banksy’s “back office” on the website pestcontroloffice.com, the answer to the question of the artist’s identity is: “Banksy hugely appreciates any suggestions and is currently struggling with that very question.” The guessing game, for now, continues.
