Banksy’s true identity revealed in 26-year-old arrest record

Shoppers walk past an apparent Banksy artwork which has appeared on a wall near the Centrepoint building in London, England. Photo / Getty Images

Banksy may finally be unmasked after decades of speculation about his identity.

The anonymous British graffiti artist has produced work in locations as far afield as London, Ukraine and the West Bank, but has avoided being named since coming to public attention in the late 1990s.

A new investigation into his identity, however, has claimed that Banksy is actually Robin Gunningham, 51, from Bristol.

A signed confession has allegedly given away the guerrilla artist’s identity, whose works have sold for more than £18 million ($41m).

Reuters claims that in 2000, Banksy was in New York during Fashion Week, and a billboard for Marc Jacobs clothing had been erected on the roof of a brownstone apartment block, sporting the slogan “Boys Love Marc Jacobs”.

Friends of Banksy told Reuters that the artist had become intrigued by the billboard, and climbed on to the roof to alter the advertisement.

Photographer Steve Lazarides, a fellow Bristolian and Banksy’s former manager, said that the artist “doctored the Marc Jacobs Men billboard so that the model had goofy teeth”.

Before Banksy could finish his work, it has been claimed, he was arrested by New York police officers, charged with misdemeanour, and forced to pay a fine of £247.

The investigation claims that police reports and court documents from this 2000 arrest were unearthed, showing the name “Robin Gunningham”.

While the Reuters investigation claims to have conclusive proof of his identity, the artist’s lawyers have denied the claims, and have insisted that anonymity was vital to protect Banksy’s purported societal value.

Mark Stephens, his lawyer, said: “[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.”

Banksy’s work has quite frequently appeared in the West Bank, and showed apparent sympathy with the Palestinian cause.

A recent work sprayed on the side of the Royal Courts of Justice showed a judge beating a protester with a gavel, which some have interpreted as signalling sympathy with pro-Palestinian activists arrested for supporting Palestine Action – a proscribed group.

While sometimes seen as an anti-establishment figure, his simple, stencilled pieces – often based on a metaphor about a contemporary issue – have been embraced by the art world and fetched high prices at auction.

Banksy sought to mock this in 2018 when a piece being sold at auction was put through a shredder in front of potential buyers.

There had been rumours for a number of years that Banksy was Robert Del Naja, the Massive Attack frontman, who is also known for his pro-Palestine stance and past activity as a graffiti artist.

Reuters has claimed that Banksy entered Ukraine with Del Naja in 2022, and alleged that the musician frequently collaborated with the artist. It added that Banksy entered Ukraine under the adopted name “David Jones”.

He is said to have changed his name to this commonplace moniker to avoid notice on official documentation.

The artist’s lawyers, however, insist that his identity remains a secret.

Stephens told Reuters that his client “does not accept that many of the details contained within your inquiry are correct”, adding that this was important because he had been “subjected to fixated, threatening and extremist behaviour”.

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