Banksy's Name Revealed in Lost BBC Interview

Source: BBC

Banksy – the elusive but world-renowned artist – has remained anonymous since the 1990s, but the mystery man did divulge his first name once, back in 2003, a previously lost BBC interview has revealed.

In a radio interview with BBC reporter Nigel Wrench, Banksy talks about the quick graffiti skills that have made him famous while simultaneously keeping him anonymous. Wrench asks the artist if he is named "Robert Banks," to which Banksy replies, "It's Robbie."

At the time of the interview, Banksy was promoting his "Turf War" show in a warehouse in London. The radio interview was edited, according to the outlet, so the name reveal was not included when it initially aired.

But Wrench was recently listening to a BBC podcast about Banksy and it reminded him of his 20-year-old interview, according to the outlet. It prompted him to find the full recording at his house, and he uncovered Banksy's secret reveal. BBC has released a bonus episode of its "The Banksy Story" podcast in light of Wrench's discovery.

Banksy: The Artist Who Makes Waves

In a 2003 interview, the enigmatic artist known as Banksy defended his work, which often involves tagging buildings with graffiti. Despite being considered vandalism by some, Banksy stated, "I'm not here to apologize for it. It's a quicker way of making your point, right?"

When asked about his approach to art, Banksy drew an analogy to his mother's cooking. He explained, "In the same way my mother used to cook Sunday roast every Sunday and says every Sunday: 'It takes hours to make it, minutes to eat.' And these days she eats microwave meals for one and seems a lot happier. I'm kind of taking that approach to art really. I want to get it done and dusted."

Banksy's art has evolved from graffiti, but it continues to make waves with its social statements and stunts. One notable incident occurred in 2018 when a framed image created by Banksy was sold at auction for $1.4 million. However, to everyone's surprise, the artwork self-destructed as a hidden shredder activated, slicing the painting into strips. Despite the destruction, the buyer proceeded with the sale.

Remarkably, in 2021, the shredded remains of the infamous painting were auctioned again, fetching a staggering $25.4 million.

Banksy's graffiti has recently appeared across Ukraine amid the ongoing war with Russia. Notable works include a mural depicting a boy defeating a larger man in a karate uniform and an image of a gymnast, both painted on the remains of destroyed buildings.

The Speculation Surrounding Banksy's Identity

Although Banksy's artwork is widely recognized, the true identity of the artist remains a mystery. However, this hasn't stopped people from speculating about who he might be. In 2016, a graduate student named Craig Williams proposed a theory in a blog post that Banksy could be Robert Del Naja, a member of the hip hop group Massive Attack. Williams pointed out that Del Naja, also known as 3D, was a graffiti artist who had been linked to Banksy. He suggested that Banksy's surprise murals often appeared in cities where Massive Attack was touring, implying that Del Naja might be the artist behind the graffiti. However, Williams later backtracked and suggested that Del Naja could be one of several artists collectively known as Banksy.

Del Naja himself tried to dispel the rumors during a 2016 concert, reportedly telling the crowd, "We are all Banksy." In a statement to the Daily Mail, he clarified that the rumors about his secret identity were exaggerated and not true. He confirmed that he and Banksy are friends and that the artist had attended some of his shows.

In 2020, rumors circulated on social media that another member of Massive Attack, Neil Buchanan, was Banksy. However, Buchanan strongly denied these claims in a statement according to BBC News.

Over the years, various myths and rumors have circulated about Banksy's true identity. In 2004, a photograph of a graffiti artist in Jamaica gained widespread attention and was rumored to depict Banksy at work.

Banksy Rumors

Despite Banksy denying it was him in the photo, an investigation by the Daily Mail has sparked rumors about the true identity of the mysterious artist. The photo was taken to Bristol, where it is believed Banksy grew up, and people were asked if they recognized the man in the picture. One person mentioned that the man could be someone named Robin Gunningham.

According to the Daily Mail, this individual claimed that Gunningham had changed his name to Robin Banks and was known as Banksy. The newspaper also highlighted that some details about Banksy's life matched up with Gunningham's, although his family denied any connection between the two. However, earlier this year, the Sunday Times and other sources reported that Gunningham is named as a defendant in a defamation trial against Banksy. If this is true, it could potentially force Gunningham to reveal his true identity as the artist.

In a separate incident in 2022, a councillor for a small town in the UK resigned after rumors circulated online suggesting that he was Banksy. Billy Gannon, the councillor in question, vehemently denied these claims and stated that they undermined his ability to work effectively. Gannon believes that the rumors were started by a rival council candidate.