Banksy, the elusive graffiti artist known for his provocative street art, has reportedly been unmasked under a new identity that allows him to blend into the crowd effortlessly.
The renowned street artist, whose controversial pieces have fetched millions at auctions, has been identified as 51-year-old Robin Gunningham from Bristol, England. This revelation comes from an in-depth investigation conducted by Reuters on Friday.
The investigation uncovered that Gunningham adopted the name David Jones in 2008 — a name so common in the UK that it provides the perfect disguise.
“This is one of the most popular names in Britain, making it nearly impossible to single him out,” the report explains.
In their pursuit, journalists gathered evidence from various sources: a visit to conflict-ridden Ukraine where he was seen interacting with residents, a dispute with Jamaican photographer Peter Dean Rickards, and a 2000 NYPD arrest report featuring a signed, handwritten confession.
Gunningham, now known as Jones, had been previously linked to Banksy in a 2008 Mail on Sunday article. However, Reuters has now assembled a comprehensive collection of forensic evidence to substantiate their findings.
The report’s authors say they have also disproven the theory that Banksy was really musician Robert Del Naja, frontman of famed Bristol group Massive Attack.
Confusingly, their investigation found that Del Naja was also in Ukraine in 2022, but Reuters reported that he was there with Gunningham.
A spokesperson for Banksy did not respond immediately to requests for comment.
In a statement, the artist’s lawyer, Mark Stephens, told Reuters that his client “does not accept that many of the details contained within your enquiry are correct.”
Banksy maintains his anonymity because he has “been subjected to fixated, threatening and extremist behavior,” Stephens added.
“[Working] anonymously or under a pseudonym serves vital societal interests. It protects freedom of expression by allowing creators to speak truth to power without fear of retaliation, censorship or persecution—particularly when addressing sensitive issues such as politics, religion or social justice,” the statement concluded.
Reuters defended naming Banksy, arguing that “the public has a deep interest in understanding the identity and career of a figure with his profound and enduring influence on culture, the art industry and international political discourse.”
Among Banksy’s most famous works are “Girl With Balloon,” a simple stencil drawing of a young girl letting go of a red, heart-shaped balloon that, mistifyingly, was named as the British public’s favorite piece of British art in one opinion poll.
In 2018, the design was at the center of a stunt when a framed copy of the work was shredded after being sold at auction by a mechanical device Banksy had hidden within the frame.
The artist confirmed he was responsible for the shredding, later giving the altered piece the new name, “Love Is in the Bin.”
It was later sold for $25.4 million in 2021.
