The iconic street artist has one of the most common British male names, the agency has said
The real name of the mysterious street artist, who has been hiding under the alias ‘Banksy’ for years, is David Jones, Reuters has claimed, citing the results of its own investigation.
Banksy’s identity has fueled speculation since his first graffiti appeared in 1999. He has become one of the world’s most famous artists, with his artworks popping up in various locations around the globe, including conflict hot spots, selling for millions of dollars at auctions and being frequent targets of thieves.
In its article on Friday, Reuters noted that Banksy’s actual name had been first mentioned by the Daily Mail in 2008, which identified him as Bristol-born artist Robin Gunningham.
According to the agency, he had since then changed his ID and now carries a passport with the name ‘David Jones.’
It’s one of the most common first and last name combinations in the UK, with 6,000 people bearing it in 2017, it stressed. It’s also the birth name of iconic British rock legend David Bowie.
Reuters explained that it established Banksy’s identity after reviewing publicly available records, including financial statements by his former accountant.
The journalists said that they also got clues about the artist’s real name after looking into the circumstances of several of his graffiti appearing in Ukraine in 2022.
There is no evidence of Robin Gunningham entering the country, but there is data on David Jones crossing the Ukrainian border, they stressed. He had been accompanied by photographer Giles Duley and co-founder of the band Massive Attack and artist Robert Del Naja, who had been previously suspected of being the one behind the Banksy nickname, according to the journalists.
The date of birth in David Jones’ passport matches that of Robin Gunningham, a source told Reuters.
The agency said that they forwarded the results of their investigation and questions to the person they believe to be Banksy, but he “didn’t reply.”
The artist’s lawyer, Mark Stephens, also declined to confirm his identity, but urged the journalists against publishing the report, arguing that it would violate his client’s privacy, interfere with his art and endanger him.
Reuters said that it still decided to release its findings because “the public has a deep interest in understanding the identity and career of a figure with his profound and enduring influence on culture, the art industry and international political discourse.”
