The real Banksy? Paper 'reveals' his identity
- added July 13, 2008
- 6 responses
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- JanaPokana
- added this
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Mysterious graffiti artist Banksy is a 34-year-old former public school pupil called Robin Gunningham, The Mail On Sunday has claimed.
The paper says it has identified the "guerrilla artist" from a photograph taken four years ago in Jamaica, which shows a man kneeling by a spray can. But a spokeswoman for Banksy refused to comment on the report. "We get these calls all the time," she told the BBC. "I'll say what I always say: I never confirm or deny these stories".
Banksy's stencilled artwork appears unannounced in public spaces around the world.
In January a piece of his graffiti in Portobello Road, west London - which shows a painter finishing off the word "Banksy" - attracted a bid of £208,100 in an online auction.
The only solid biographical fact about the artist is that he was born and raised in Bristol. It has often been rumoured that his real name is Robin Banks and that his parents think he is a painter and decorator - but no-one close to Banksy has ever verified these stories.
Now, the Mail on Sunday claims to have uncovered his true identity. The newspaper says it traced the artist using a photograph purporting to show Banksy at work in Jamaica in 2004. Former friends and acquaintances identify the man in the picture as Robin Gunningham.
Scott Nurse, who went to the £9,420-a-year Bristol Cathedral School with Gunningham, tells the paper he was "extremely talented at art". "I am not at all surprised if he is Banksy," he is quoted as saying. Luke Egan, an artist who later exhibited with Banksy initially denied knowing Gunningham, but eventually agreed he had shared a flat with him. Asked by the paper whether Gunningham was Banksy, he replied: "Well, he wasn't then".
Banksy has insisted the public should never discover who he is. "I have no interest in ever coming out," he told Swindle magazine. "I'm just trying to make the pictures look good; I'm not into trying to make myself look good. And besides, it's a pretty safe bet that the reality of me would be a crushing disappointment to a couple of 15-year-old kids out there."
The paper says it has identified the "guerrilla artist" from a photograph taken four years ago in Jamaica, which shows a man kneeling by a spray can. But a spokeswoman for Banksy refused to comment on the report. "We get these calls all the time," she told the BBC. "I'll say what I always say: I never confirm or deny these stories".
Banksy's stencilled artwork appears unannounced in public spaces around the world.
In January a piece of his graffiti in Portobello Road, west London - which shows a painter finishing off the word "Banksy" - attracted a bid of £208,100 in an online auction.
The only solid biographical fact about the artist is that he was born and raised in Bristol. It has often been rumoured that his real name is Robin Banks and that his parents think he is a painter and decorator - but no-one close to Banksy has ever verified these stories.
Now, the Mail on Sunday claims to have uncovered his true identity. The newspaper says it traced the artist using a photograph purporting to show Banksy at work in Jamaica in 2004. Former friends and acquaintances identify the man in the picture as Robin Gunningham.
Scott Nurse, who went to the £9,420-a-year Bristol Cathedral School with Gunningham, tells the paper he was "extremely talented at art". "I am not at all surprised if he is Banksy," he is quoted as saying. Luke Egan, an artist who later exhibited with Banksy initially denied knowing Gunningham, but eventually agreed he had shared a flat with him. Asked by the paper whether Gunningham was Banksy, he replied: "Well, he wasn't then".
Banksy has insisted the public should never discover who he is. "I have no interest in ever coming out," he told Swindle magazine. "I'm just trying to make the pictures look good; I'm not into trying to make myself look good. And besides, it's a pretty safe bet that the reality of me would be a crushing disappointment to a couple of 15-year-old kids out there."
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- JanaPokana
- 2 months ago
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I've always wondered if this is a picture of Banksy. If you read the story it all seems a little manufactured and fake.
But I guess we'll never know and because of that you should all watch this pod.
http://current.com/items/76346222_who_is_banksy-
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- phillyharper
- 2 months ago
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this is old news
it dosent matter who bansky is as long as people understand what he stands for....and what he has now become.
why do people want to know anyway?
Mystery makes everything more interesting. -
Even if Banksy was given a face people who have known of his work would still associate to aftermath of his bombings with the name
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'art terrorism?'
wow.
one of the best crimes to be wanted for. -
Banksy is the guy who makes unbelievable art. That should be all that matters about Banksy. I totally understand why he would like to keep his identity from the celebrity mill. How could he possibly create another Banksy followed by the circus that he would attract? Shudder, shudder...
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- AnaMireles
- 2 months ago
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