BANKSY’S identity could soon be revealed in the High Court.
He is the most famous graffiti artist in the world, but despite being famous around the world, his true identity has never been revealed.
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Robin Gunningham – claimed by many to be Banksy
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The identity of the artist may soon be revealed Credit: Getty Images – Getty
But in 2008 it was claimed that Banksy artist Robin Gunningham was born in Bristol.
And now it has been revealed that Banksy has been named as the first defendant in a legal action accusing him of defamation.
His co-defendant is Pest Control Ltd – the company that sells Banksy’s art.
Graffiti pioneer Andrew Gallagher, 56, has lodged a claim – but his lawyer, Aaron Wood, from Brandsmith, told MailOnline: “I’m not at liberty to say any more about the claim.”
Banksy’s work has been spotted across southern England, including London and Bristol, although his art has often appeared in prominent international venues.
Although many tried to guess who it was, his identity was never revealed.
Banksy first gained attention by spray painting trains and walls in his hometown of Bristol during the early 1990s.
Street art and graffiti can be considered criminal damage, so it was initially thought that the artist chose to remain anonymous to avoid conflict with the law.
After his work in Bristol, in the 2000s his artwork began to appear in other locations in the UK, from Brighton to Hull, as well as in other parts of the world. You can see the full list of Banksy’s street works here.
Far from rebellious scruffy, what we know of Robin paints a more middle-class suburban picture.
Robin was born in 1973 in Bristol, also known as Banksy’s long-awaited location.
He was a student at Bristol Cathedral School.
Robin’s father, Peter Gordon Gunningham, was a retired contracts manager from the Whitehall area of Bristol.
His mother, Pamela Ann Dawkin-Jones, was the secretary of the company director and grew up in the exclusive environment of Clifton, where she also has an older sister, Sarah.
When Robin was nine, the family moved to a larger house on the same street and he spent his formative years there and became interested in graffiti.
Banksy has never confirmed his identity.
Other reports suggest he could be artist and musician Robert del Naja, another graffiti artist and member of Bristol art collective The Wild Bunch.
Art Attack host Neil Buchanan has denied being Banksy in 2020, after a bizarre conspiracy theory about his identity flooded the internet.
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Banksy’s self-slicing work Balloon Girl made headlines in October 2018. Credit: Getty
Categories: Optical Illusion
Source: HIS Education