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13th Nov 2022

Footage ‘of the only recording of Banksy’s face’ surfaces online

Tobi Akingbade

One of the greatest mystery (almost) discovered

Since coming onto the scene in the 1990s, the identity of the mysterious street artist Banksy has remained a talking point.

The Bristol-born artist is known across the world for his unique graffiti-style work seen from London to New York and even his home town.

There have been many theories over the years as to who Banksy may be – with one of the most popular ones that he could be Massive Attack’s Robert Del Naja.

According to ITV News, which first shared the footage in 2019, the video is an exclusive interview with a man who claims to be Banksy. It shows the man speaking to ITV London reporter Haig Gordon for some 25 seconds in the two-minute televised news report. While the video may offer some clues about the renowned artist’s appearance, it did not quite solve the mystery.

The man in the report is seen with his face covered with a T-shirt and only his eyes visible to the camera. The clip was filmed back in 2003 ahead of Banksy’s Turf War exhibition.

Later in the ITV Vault video, the man is shown spray painting an insect stencil and a separate clip reveals a picture of a baby playing with alphabet blocks that spell ‘KILL MORE’, both are which are Banksy’s claimed work.

The individual in the interview said: “I’m disguised because you can’t really be a graffiti writer and then go public. The two things don’t quite go together.”

After being shot in 2003, the clip again came to light after being found by ITV News West Country reporter Robert Murphy who searched the archives for any footage available of Banksy. He then spotted a library entry that read “Interview with Banksy”.

Speaking about the decade-old interview, Gordon shared that the man claiming to be Banksy was relaxed and amiable. However, Gordon also said that he had no evidence to prove that he was the real Banksy.

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Banksy