He’s currently involved in a High Court case
After over 30 years of global anonymity, it appears that Banksy could finally be forced to come out of the shadows, as he has now seemingly been named in High Court documents.
The Daily Mail report that the street artist Banksy, almost definitely the most famous graffiti artist in the world, has been named as 53-year-old Robin Gunningham.
The Daily Mail reported that Gunningham, who was previously rumoured to be Banksy, was named as the first defendant in a legal action accusing the artist of defamation.
Gunningham’s co-defendant is Pest Control Ltd, a company which Banksy established to sell his art.
Banksy, who started off producing art work in Bristol back in 1990 moved to London in the late 90s where he began building a name for himself.
By the early 2000’s Banksy was the most recognisable graffiti artist in the UK.
In 2003, he snuck into the Tate and installed one of his own works while dressed as a pensioner.
The following year, he snuck into the Louvre and hung up his own version of the Mona Lisa.
In 2010, Banksy relocated to New York and became the biggest graffiti artist in the world.
The trial which Banksy, or Gunningham, is currently embroiled in remains confidential.
While Banksy’s real identity has never been confirmed, back in 2008, the Mail on Sunday suggested his identity using a photograph of a man wearing a blue shirt and jeans.
The man was identified by people in Banksy’s home city of Bristol as being Robin Gunningham.
Banksy, however, denied that the photo was him.
Related links:
- One-of-a-kind Banksy artwork worth £10m destroyed by Christopher Walken on TV show
- Terminally-ill dad who mooned speed camera honoured with ‘new Banksy’
- Town councillor quits as ‘claims he is graffiti artist Banksy make it hard for him to do his job’
