Reuters sent investigative journalists on a mission to uncover one of the most guarded secrets in the art world today – to find out who Banksy is. According to their report, they've succeeded.
Since the '80s, Banksy's paintings have been popping up on the art scene, and since then, the artist has managed to keep their anonymity. Or did, until now. Reuters published findings from their investigation into Banksy’s secret identity – they believe it to be Bristol artist Robin Gunningham, a man rumored to be Banksy since 2008. That year, Gunningham reportedly changed his name to the less memorable David Jones.
They Found Him Through Ukraine
Reuters began their search in the Ukrainian village of Horenka, near Bucha, where Russian troops massacred nearly 500 Ukrainians. “The breakthrough came after a piece of graffiti appeared in Horenka near Kyiv between shell-damaged buildings.
According to witnesses who spoke to Reuters, two men with covered faces created the artwork in minutes using sprays and stencils. Reuters investigators linked Gunningham's name, who traveled to the area as David Jones, with a trip to Horenka – reportedly working with Massive Attack frontman Robert Del Naja, another man speculated to be Banksy,” writes the American monthly Vanity Fair.
The connection with Robert Del Naja and photographer Giles Duley led to connecting the dots to uncover Banksy’s true identity. Del Naja collaborated with Gunningham on projects in the Ukrainian war zone, Del Naja’s band Massive Attack used Duley's photos at concerts, and Duley’s organization, Legacy of War, provided an ambulance for their movement in Ukraine.
“In Ukraine, I saw the Legacy of War team storm into a bombed-out building to give desperate people medical care, heating, drinking water, and a friendly welcome. They also lent me one of their ambulances to work from, which came in handy when an angry 'babushka' caught me painting her house and called the police. I feel the minimum I should do is raise enough money to replace the license plates on that ambulance I ‘improved’,” Banksy wrote after auctioning his works.
Evidence is Mounting
Banksy’s identity seems to be definitively revealed, thanks to 26-year-old court documents from New York containing Robin Gunningham’s handwritten admission to damaging a fashion billboard. Reporters linked this old confession to an archival backstage photo from the artist’s former manager, suggesting that the biggest mystery in the street art world might be over.
However, his long-time lawyer, Mark Stevens, has not confirmed his identity and maintains that keeping Banksy anonymous is crucial for his work. According to him, “being anonymous or using a pseudonym serves vital societal interests,” and “allows creators to speak truth to power without fear of retaliation, censorship, or persecution – especially on sensitive topics like politics, religion, or social justice.”
