A major investigation by Reuters claims to have uncovered the true identity of elusive street artist Banksy, linking him to a 52-year-old Bristol-born man named Robin Gunningham, who now goes by David Jones. The report, which spans 8,000 words, builds on earlier claims by the Mail on Sunday in 2008.
Key evidence includes a 2000 NYPD arrest report for a man caught defacing a Marc Jacobs poster in Manhattan. The suspect signed the name Robin Gunningham and paid a $310 fine for disorderly conduct. Reuters also found that after the 2008 unmasking, all public records of Gunningham vanished, suggesting a deliberate effort to erase his identity.
The investigation further linked Banksy to Robert Del Naja, co-founder of Massive Attack, who is believed to be an enabler and gatekeeper. In 2022, as Banksy artworks appeared in Ukraine, border records showed Del Naja entered the country with a companion named David Jones, whose birthdate matched Gunningham's on the 2000 arrest file.
Banksy's lawyer, Mark Stephens, told Reuters that the artist "does not accept that many of the details contained within your enquiry are correct," stopping short of a denial. The report also references a 2003 BBC interview where Banksy, when asked if his real name is Robert Banks, replied, "It's Robbie."
Former manager Steve Lazarides, in his 2019-2020 chronicle 'Banksy Captured', confirmed the New York arrest incident. The evidence, while circumstantial, paints a coherent picture of a middle-aged Bristolian who has maintained his anonymity for decades.
