A Reuters investigation claims to have uncovered the true identity of elusive street artist Banksy, linking him to a 2000 New York arrest and recent travel to Ukraine. The probe suggests Banksy is Robin Gunningham, a 52-year-old Bristol-born man now using the name David Jones, corroborating a 2008 Mail on Sunday report.
Reuters obtained a 2000 NYPD report showing Gunningham was arrested for defacing a Marc Jacobs poster in Manhattan, signing the confession with that name. The artist later vanished from public records, with no tax or property filings found.
In 2022, Banksy artworks appeared in Ukraine. Border records show Robert Del Naja of Massive Attack entered the country then, accompanied by David Jones, whose birthdate matched Gunningham's from the arrest file. Del Naja is believed to be Banksy's collaborator.
Banksy's lawyer Mark Stephens told Reuters the artist "does not accept that many of the details contained within your enquiry are correct," but stopped short of a denial. The investigation aligns with previous accounts from Banksy's former manager Steve Lazarides.
An old BBC interview resurfaced in 2023 where the artist responded to the name "Robbie," further supporting the Gunningham theory. The evidence suggests Banksy is a middle-aged Bristolian, not the Massive Attack frontman as previously speculated.
