A recent Reuters investigation has stirred up significant interest by suggesting that the true identity of the notorious British street artist Banksy may have been unveiled. The investigation, released on March 13, asserts that Banksy is likely Robin Gunningham, a man from Bristol, who reportedly later adopted the name David Jones. The report further contends that Gunningham collaborates with Robert Del Naja, known as 3D, the lead vocalist of the British trip-hop band Massive Attack.
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According to the Reuters report, the revelation stems from various sources and investigative work, including a police confession linked to Gunningham’s arrest in 2000. The report mentions a specific incident in March 2022, where witnesses observed three men—two of whom were masked and the other unmasked with prosthetic legs—applying graffiti on the wall of a bombed apartment building in Horenka, Ukraine. This mural, depicting a bearded man in a bathtub, has since been attributed to Banksy.
The journalists from Reuters visited Horenka, showing locals photographs of those they suspected to be involved: Gunningham, Del Naja, and street artist Thierry Guetta. One villager, Tetiana Reznychenko, offered coffee to the masked artists and later identified one of the suspects as Del Naja upon seeing a photo. It was later revealed that Del Naja, along with the unmasked artist identified as Giles Duley, had entered Ukraine in October 2022, just before the appearance of the Banksy murals. However, there was no evidence of Gunningham or Guetta being in the country at that time.
Another significant piece of evidence presented in the report is an anecdote from Steve Lazarides, former manager for Banksy. In his book, Lazarides recounted an incident wherein Banksy was arrested for altering a Marc Jacobs advertisement on a building in New York City. Though Lazarides did not provide specifics on the date or location, the Reuters team managed to uncover police records detailing the arrest, which included a handwritten confession by someone named Robin Gunningham. The felony charge was later reduced, and Gunningham received a fine along with five days of community service.
Moreover, the investigation dug up photos attributed to the late photographer Peter Dean Rickards, which allegedly depict an unmasked Banksy at work in Jamaica. Reuters believes that cross-referencing these images confirms that the individual in those photos is indeed Banksy.
Interestingly, speculation regarding Banksy’s identity is not new; a tabloid, The Mail on Sunday, first suggested Gunningham was the artist in 2008. When contacted by Reuters last year, Lazarides refuted the claim, insisting that Gunningham does not exist and any attempts to locate him would yield no results.
The report by Reuters claims that Gunningham changed his name to David Jones—a name reportedly common in Britain. An immigration source noted that a person called David Jones entered Ukraine around the same time as Del Naja in late 2022, and this person exited the country on the same date as Del Naja the following month. Notably, the birthdate on Jones’ passport aligns with that of Gunningham.
Attempts to reach Banksy’s legal representative, Mark Stephens, for further comments were unsuccessful. However, in correspondence with Reuters, Stephens maintained that his client disputes many details included in the inquiry. He also expressed concern that publishing this report might violate Banksy’s privacy rights and potentially put him at risk.
Despite these concerns for privacy, the Reuters team justified their decision to publish by arguing that the public is eager to comprehend the identity and impact of such a culturally significant figure, especially one whose work influences both the art world and global political discussions.
Among Banksy’s celebrated pieces is the artwork “Girl With Balloon,” created in 2006, which fetched an impressive $1.4 million at auction in 2018. Remarkably, shortly after the sale, the artwork self-destructed via a hidden shredder, later re-emerging under the name “Love Is in the Bin,” which sold for over $25 million in 2021.
As the speculation continues regarding the true identity of Banksy and the implications it may carry for the artist’s future, the art world watches closely, eager for developments in this ongoing narrative that blends street artistry with mystery and cultural significance.