What Does Banksy Look Like ?

If you are an art enthusiast or an artist yourself and keep track of the latest trends in art, you will know that Banksy has been in the news lately. You might also be wondering about who is Banksy. There has also been a lot of talk about what Banksy looks like and much more. Let us explore everything about Banksy so you can clearly understand the subject.

I. Getting to know about Banksy 

Banksy may be among the most well-known names in the art world, but it's a very different story for the person who created the tag. You may be walking down the street when the thought-provoking street artist walks by, but you wouldn't know it because their paintings have surfaced practically everywhere throughout the world. Because of rigorous organization and a reliable inner circle, Banksy has stayed anonymous despite years of generating headlines worldwide. But if you dig deep enough, you can find some information about the enigmatic artist.

So, you will realize that in recent times a lot of sensation has been created by Banksy. Almost everyone wants to know, especially those interested in street art, about who Banksy is, and if you are often on the lookout for whatBanksy looks like and if that is the case with you too, you are at the right place. Over the next part of this blog, we will discuss this in great detail. So, let us get started.

II. Banksy: Who is he?

Street artist Banksy's artwork has been shown worldwide and fetched millions of dollars at auctions. Banksy has never revealed his proper name, and his art is frequently cloaked in secrecy. Banksy typically asserts ownership of new works of art using his official Instagram profile. His paintings frequently make strong political remarks and center on contemporary socioeconomic challenges.

III. What can we say with certainty about Banksy?

Even though some of his pieces are among the most well-known, Banksy remains one of the most elusive individuals in the art world. His identity continues to be a topic of discussion, and many people have attempted and failed to figure out who he is. Even though he may have occasionally revealed details about his life and marital status, his identity is still unknown. However, a few recent events have given some of the notions that have been circulating validity.

But let us explore some of our findings from the early years of his life. It is what might provide you with some clues about Banksy.

1) His humble beginning in the 1990s

We know that Banksy is a native of the British city of Bristol. He began his career there as a young artist by spray-painting his signature tag all over the area in the 1990s.

Before becoming the street artist, we know today, he subsequently transitioned into more complex and politicized pieces.

If you want to know about his early works, we can say that "The Mild Mild West" is his first large-scale mural. The same he created in Bristol's Stokes Croft way back in the year 1999.

The artist created the piece over three days in broad daylight; it shows a teddy bear tossing a Molotov cocktail toward three riot cops. It is still visible throughout the city, along with his other creations.

2) His work from 2006 onwards

In a 2006 (anonymous) interview with Swindle magazine, he mentioned that he came from a relatively modest city in southern England.

A youngster named 3D aggressively painted the streets when he was around 10. He may have visited New York and introduced spray painting to Bristol first. But, before seeing it in a magazine or on a computer, he had grown up witnessing spray paint on the streets.

While 3D's decision to stop painting and start the Massive band Attack may have benefited him, it was a huge loss for the city.

At school, graffiti was the one thing we all adored. So on the bus ride home from school, they all carried it out. Everyone was participating.

3) His work in 2017

The Walled Off Hotel, which Banksy opened in Bethlehem in 2017, is right across from the eight-meter-high concrete wall Israel erected to divide the Palestinian territories. Banksy's art has brought him to Paris, New York, and Bethlehem. Banksy has previously removed his artwork from walls. He established Dismaland Bemusement Park in 2017, which featured operating rides among iconic Banksy artworks in the coastal community of Weston-super-Mare, not far from his native city of Bristol.

IV. The identity-related suppositions

1) Robin Gunnell, who is Bansky

The most well-known theory regarding Banksy's identity contends that he is a guy by the name of Robin Gunningham, while other hypotheses exist.

Many of Gunningham's old classmates claim they think he is Banksy. However, Gunningham was born in Yate, a small town outside of Bristol, in 1973. It was said that Gunningham was a gifted illustrator at school who frequently drew cartoons, and Banksy has verified that his passion for sketching initially emerged during his school years.

It was initially hypothesized that Gunningham might be the mysterious artist when a photograph shot in Jamaica of him with a spray can and stencils became widely distributed.

The rumor is so widespread that in 2018, an original piece purported to be the sole one Robin Gunningham signed sold at auction for £4,000 (Dh18,500), a reasonable price for a previously undiscovered artist. The piece in question is reminiscent of Banksy's early graffiti technique and was created as an illustrated record sleeve for the Bristol-based ska band Mother Samosa's Oh My God It's Cheeky Clown.

2) The incident in 2016 regarding Banksy

Criminal scientists at Queen Mary University went so far as to employ spatial profiling, often used to connect offenders to crimes, to connect Gunningham to Banksy artwork in Bristol and London in 2016. But the study was put on hold when Banksy's attorneys complained to the university about how the Tagging Banksy study would be portrayed and publicized in the media.

3) Robert Del Naja on who is Bansky

Amongst the few who attempted to share information regarding Banksy look alike, Robert Del Naja of Massive Attack has been identified in other well-known theories as Banksy. As previously indicated, Banksy cites Del Naja as one of his earliest influences. Del Naja spent several years working as 3D, a graffiti artist, in Bristol. The theory was developed after it was claimed that DJ Goldie accidentally mentioned Banksy's name on a podcast about the street artist. "No offense to Rob, but I think he's a fantastic artist," he remarked. He is the opinion of many, has changed the course of the art world.

That "Rob," though, may just as quickly be Robin. Fans connected two instances in which fresh Banksy artwork emerged in the same city as a Massive Attack concert, strengthening the Del Naja claim. Del Naja, in contrast to Gunningham, has vehemently refuted the allegations.

So, mystery still shrouds the truth regarding who is Banksy and what Banksy looks like. There have been other claims too. Let's examine a few more of these.

4) Jamie Hewlett

Over the years, rumors have circulated that the Gorillaz founder Jamie Hewlett is responsible for the artwork. An unnamed forensic specialist stated that paperwork revealed Hewlett to be tied to every business that Banksy is associated with. Additionally, adding fuel to the fire, the artist has previously created pieces that have appeared in the music videos for the band. The spokesman for Banksy, though, refuted these assertions. It is another side of a possible claim regarding who is Banksy.

V. Some recent sightings regarding put light on who Banksy is

Over the years, there have been numerous "sightings" of Banksy; most recently, he was seen wearing PPE while putting his most recent piece on the London Underground.

In Hull, England, in 2018, a bystander also reported seeing him near a recently installed piece of art. These encounters need to be frequented more to make out his face.

Also unknown is if Banksy installs all of his pieces by himself or with the assistance of a crew.

1) Why might Banksy not reveal his real name?

People are ready to spend hundreds of thousands of dollars to acquire the street art created by Banksy. Yet despite the popularity of his artwork, it involves Banksy's notoriety.

A lot of what he does is unlawful. Banksy typically creates his public art anonymously and without permission, and he typically doesn't claim ownership of the pieces until after the paint has dried. So, there is always a twist to his tale in this respect. So, there is a dark side to his rapidly growing popularity.

In some ways, his anonymity undoubtedly lends interest to his work. At the same time, it might be argued that the same also serves as a safeguard for the artist because his work is frequently categorized as criminal damage. Furthermore, given his standing, his work would have had less influence if he had attracted a large audience.

These can be some of the many reasons Banksy does not bring his identity into the open. Thus, there is still a lot of speculation as well as who is Banksy. Still, many people, especially street art lovers, wonder what Banksy looks like. In this respect, there is a certain aura around the artist and his work. It arouses a lot of interest amongst the art audience.

Now that you have some idea regarding all the claims and counterclaims regarding who Banksy is and that his identity is anonymous, you might wonder how he makes all the money. In other words, how does one create all the wealth with a concealed identity? Let us then delve into this subject.

2) So how does Banksy generate money if he doesn't reveal his identity?

If you are wondering about the money being made, you need to note that Banksy is in no way like most other "struggling artists." According to Daily Mail, the British legend has a net worth of $20 million. But if his identity is concealed, how does he earn money? Through various mediums, our favorite Banksy racks in the green stuff in numerous ways.

Banksy makes his money in different ways even though he isn't paid for his well-known murals. One approach is through his company, Pest Control, and the auction sales of his artwork. In addition, he is the author of the best-selling book Wall and Piece and the Academy Award-winning documentary "Exit Through the Gift Shop. “You need to note that Random House released both in 2005.

Banksy also painted a wall on the Palestinian side of the West Bank in 2005: on the viewer's side, children play on a desolate patch of earth, while a perfect tropical beach is visible through an apparent hole in the wall. Banksy referred to himself as a "quality vandal," questioning the authority of political and artistic institutions on both the right and left.

3) Banksy looks down on the commercialization of his artwork.

Banksy disapproves of the capitalist and commercial components of his art despite the considerable money it earns and its potential. The artist was cited as stating back in 2013: "Before hedge-fund managers wanted to cut it out and put it over the fireplace, graffiti art already has a difficult life. Therefore, I advise people to refrain from purchasing anything created by anyone unless it was intended for sale in the first place to preserve all street art in its proper context."

It is another exciting aspect of his character that one needs to know.

4) We can get a glimpse of what he may look like through his Instagram handle.

Even though we cannot view Banksy's face, we now have a basic sense of his appearance.

Banksy's true identity will probably remain a mystery for the rest of our lives, and most people would prefer to do so out of respect for mystery. So we may never come to know who Banksy is. But getting a chance to catch a glimpse of the artist was unique. In the Instagram video he shared, he demonstrated how to spray paint his most recent (since removed) work of art in the London Underground.

VI. And who is Banksy? Here are some more of the outlandish theories.

The identity of the artist responsible for Banksy's artwork has been the subject of some bizarre theories, according to Art-Net News. For instance, a Liverpool resident named Paul Horner was allegedly arrested for vandalism in 2014. Still, Banksy's publicist reportedly released a statement assuring fans that he was not detained or discovered. On the other hand, a Brooklyn artist called Richard Pfeiffer was detained in March 2015 as he admired a piece by Banksy, even though he hadn't created it himself.

Later that year, rumors started circulating that Banksy was camped out at his parody theme park, Dismaland, in Weston-Super-Mare. As a result, many have suggested that Banksy is Mr. Brainwash, although art experts worldwide would concur that this is an entirely improbable notion.

1) There are then a couple more sensible hypotheses.

Speaking of some more claims regarding the theories of who Banksy is, according to City Lab, an HBO documentary called Banksy Does New York asserts that Banksy is a team of seven artists rather than just one, which isn't even the best part. Here the hypothesis postulates that a blonde woman is in charge of the seven artists.

Banksy is automatically assumed to be a man in our patriarchal society, yet having a woman consistently do these social satire pieces would make perfect sense.

2) What does the Independent report on the matter?

If you check the claims of who Banksy is, you will find that The Independent is confident that during an interview with Scroobius Pip's monthly Distraction Pieces podcast, British DJ Goldie disclosed Banksy's name. He stated: "Give me a bubble letter, print Banksy on it on a T-shirt, and we're good to go. Now that we can sell it. Without intending to offend Robert, I believe he is a fantastic artist. I believe he has turned the tide on the art world." But after saying his name, he stopped and continued.

VII. What is the style of Banksy?

Whether his true identity of Banksy will be revealed is challenging to say. But let us explore his style of art. Here you need to note that Banksy used stencils to make his artwork, perhaps because they allow for quicker painting. In his early years, he was influenced by the French graffiti artist Blek le Rat. People occasionally mistake the work of the two artists, but Blek le Rat is widely regarded as the originator of stencil graffiti.

Banksy has created drawings, paintings, and installation pieces in addition to his street art. Even better, he founded Dismaland, his theme park.

1) What generally Banksy tries to convey through his artwork?

If you are wondering what Banksy tries to convey through his artwork, political messages are frequently conveyed in Banksy's artwork. He brought up the topic of homelessness in December 2019 with a mural depicting two reindeer that look to be hauling a sleigh. In a 2018 sculpture for Port Talbot, he created a scene in which a youngster looks to be gathering snowflakes, but it is fired ash. In some ways, it is regarding the pollution issue.

In some ways, the political nature of his artwork has triggered interest in his work and, in some ways, also contributed to his wide-scale popularity.

2) What is the cost of the work of Banksy?

The price of Banksy's artwork can reach thousands of pounds. He has a large following of fans eager to support him financially. Keep It Spotless, a piece of art, sold for slightly over £1 million in 2008 at an auction. A mobile house with a Banksy piece of art was given a £500,000 price tag that same year. It was a result of the side-mounted artwork.

Banksy has frequently stated that he objects to his art fetching such high prices. For example, a painting sold for £1 million in 2008 before exploding in front of a shocked and terrified auction house.

And some of his work was painted over as soon as it appeared because street art is sometimes viewed as vandalism. As a result, graffiti artists occasionally cover it with their creations. As a result, when a Banksy does surface, the owner typically covers it with plastic sheeting to safeguard it. There is discussion as to whether Banksy's work may be protected as "art," yet other graffiti artists face legal action and are occasionally imprisoned for their actions.

Therefore, even if you still need to find out who Banksy is, you will realize that his work is pretty expensive. Much of the high price of Banksy's work has got to do with the popularity his work has managed to generate in the past few years.

3) Legal battles

Despite his growing celebrity, Banksy maintained his anonymity; his rare interviews were conducted via e-mail or with responses delivered by an altered voice on tape.

He remained devoted to street art, declaring that living in a city where graffiti was legal would be "like a party to which everyone was invited." Nonetheless, Banksy's popularity resulted in numerous unauthorized exhibitions and reproductions. Although artists typically rely on copyright laws to protect their works from exploitation, copyright requires the artist's identity to be disclosed. On the other hand, Banksy began applying to register his work as a trademark in 2014 and later opened Gross Domestic Product, a pop-up shop selling art-inspired merchandise. Between 2020 and 2021, the European Union's intellectual property will be protected.

Conclusion

To conclude, Banksy has become among the most well-known names in the art world over time, but it's a very different story for the person who created the tag. Because of the rigorous organization and a reliable inner circle, Banksy has been able to stay anonymous despite years of generating headlines worldwide. But if you dig deep enough, you can find some information about the enigmatic artist.

We, however, hope we have provided you with some facts that will give you a better perspective on him.