Who Is Banksy?

You’ll recognize his work before you recognize his face. Banksy is an infamous and iconic street artist who uses his skills (in both artistic ability and stealth) to create thought-provoking art installations all over the world. One question that everyone has been asking since 1990 is this: who is Banksy? 

Banksy is a pseudonymous political activist and artist who is based in England, specifically in either the Bristol or London area. Due to the illegality of his chosen medium, Banksy keeps his true identity anonymous, though there are several plausible theories as to who the masked artist is.    

What is known about this mysterious Banksy, and why – despite his incredible fame – does he choose to remain anonymous? For these answers, as well as insight as to the iconic street artist’s possible identity, keep reading. 

Who Is Banksy?

Banksy is an England-based street artist with a penchant for political activism who has been active since 1990. His work, which is almost always political in nature, can be found all over the United Kingdom including places like Hull, Reading, Nottingham, Brighton, Croydon, and Great Yarmouth but is concentrated in Bristol and London, leading many to believe he lived or lives in one of these areas.

Despite England being his stomping ground, and likely his birth country, today Banksy’s work can be found dotted around the world in locations including Australia, Toronto, and Paris, as well as in New York, New Orleans, Los Angeles, and San Francisco.    

Though he has been begged to reveal his identity by his fans (and law enforcement!) Banksy has chosen to remain anonymous for reasons that will be outlined later. While Banky’s identity is yet to be confirmed, rare interviews provide insight as to who the artist and activist could be. 

Based on the interviews mentioned above, one can confirm that Banksy is a Caucasian male, who has brown hair, brown eyes, and a thick British accent. According to The Guardian’s Simon Hattenstone, he is “Scruffy casual – jeans, T-shirt, a silver tooth, a silver chain, and silver earring. He looks like a cross between Jimmy Nail and Mike Skinner of The Streets.”   

Why Is Banksy Anonymous?

Part of what makes Banksy’s art so special, not to mention so insanely valuable, is his anonymity. Not knowing who the artist behind the art is, shrouds his installations in mystery. It would be fair to assume that if he reveals himself, the interest and attention in his work may decrease. 

Another reason why Banksy has not ditched the mask is one that many celebrities will relate to. As art gallery owner John Brandler told BBC, “it is convenient for Banksy to remain anonymous so he can walk down the street without being recognized.”

But, unwanted fame and the risk of losing relevancy aside, the main reason why Banksy has to remain anonymous is that in the United Kingdom graffiti – no matter how aesthetically pleasing it may be – is a form of vandalism and criminal damage and is completely illegal. In short, remaining anonymous means that Banksy remains a free man until such a day comes when graffiti is decriminalized. 

Theories Around Banksy’s True Identity 

There’s nothing the media (and social media sleuths!) enjoys more than solving a good mystery. In Banksy’s case, the mystery is definitely unsolved, but that’s not to say that their digging has been unsuccessful. Over the years, many theories about Banksy’s identity have circulated, and perhaps one of the men below could, indeed, be the true Banksy. 

The most popular candidate for Banksy is a man by the name of Robin Gunningham. This is partly because when he first entered the street art scene Banksy went by the name ‘Robin Banksy’, leading many to believe he used his real first name in the beginning. But this theory is mostly backed up by the results of geographic profiling that Queen Mary University criminologists performed.

Another popular theory is that Robert Del Naja, who is the frontman of a band called ‘Massive Attack,’ is Banksy. This theory stems from the fact that Robert’s geographical locations have aligned with Banksy’s chosen canvases several times over. This theory was given further media attention when a DJ from Bristol called Goldie seemingly revealed that Robert, who denied the claim, was indeed Banksy.

Neil Buchanan is also thought to be the man behind the mask, though he has unequivocally denied this theory on several occasions. People suspect Neil is Banksy because of his experience in the art world, as well as the fact that the location of Banksy’s work aligned with Neil’s former band’s gig schedule. 

When it comes to theorizing over Banksy’s true identity, it would appear as though location, location, location is all it takes to wind up on the ‘Is this Banksy?’ list.    

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