Should Banksy Remain Anonymous? (reuters.com) 91
He's "the most famous anonymous man in the world," suggests Reuters. But investigating Banksy's artworks in a bombed Ukrainian village (and other clues in the U.K. and Manhattan) have led them to "a hand-written confession by the artist to a long-ago misdemeanor charge of disorderly conduct — a document that revealed, beyond dispute, Banksy's true identity."
But Banksy's long-time lawyer "urged us not to publish this report, saying doing so would violate the artist's privacy, interfere with his art and put him in danger" and "would harm the public, too." Working "anonymously or under a pseudonym serves vital societal interests," he wrote. "It protects freedom of expression by allowing creators to speak truth to power without fear of retaliation, censorship or persecution — particularly when addressing sensitive issues such as politics, religion or social justice."
Reuters took into account Banksy's privacy claims — and the fact that many of his fans wish for him to remain anonymous. Yet we concluded that 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... As for the risk he might face of retaliation or censorship, Britain's legal and political establishments seem comfortable with Banksy's messages and how he delivers them...
His mastery of disguise began as a way of shaking the police, says former manager [Steve] Lazarides. In an interview, Lazarides said anonymity served a practical purpose in Bristol, where authorities enforced "draconian" policies against graffiti... Eventually, keeping the secret became a burden. By the end of their partnership, Lazarides estimates he spent half or more of his time managing and maintaining the artist's mystique. "I think it became a good gag, and then, if you want my honest, honest opinion, I think it then became a disease," he said.
Lazarides wrote a two-volume book about managing Banksy from the late 1990s to 2008, including a story about Banksy's arrest in 2000 for this defacing of a billboard. Reuters geolocated that building, then found police documents and a court file including the hand-written confession. This investigation spawned a 7,000-word article with everything from a comic strip Banksy drew when he was 11 to his connections with Robert Del Naja of the trip hop band Massive Attack — and a 2017 podcast interview where a music producer apparently revealed Banksy's real first name.
But the article also reveals how protective the art community is of Banksy's secret. Reuters investigated that Banksy auctioned in 2018 for $1.4 million — and then immediately started shredding itself with a device Banksy embedded in its frame: That piece, renamed "Love is in the Bin," sold three years later for about $25 million. Art dealer [Robert] Casterline was at the auction and remembers when the shredder began to beep. He pulled out his phone to take pictures. "Unfortunately, there was one person standing in front of me," blocking the view, he said. It was an eccentric-looking man with a broad neck scarf and thick eyewear. Oddly, the man wasn't watching the painting get shredded. He was looking in the other direction, observing the crowd's reaction. Only later, reviewing what he shot, did Casterline notice that the man's glasses appeared to have a small camera built into the bridge. (Banksy later posted a video of the stunt, including shots of the astonished audience.)
Having seen a photo of the man suspected of being Banksy, Casterline confirmed to Reuters that he was "pretty sure" it was the same man.
But "I don't want to be the guy who exposes Banksy."
But Banksy's long-time lawyer "urged us not to publish this report, saying doing so would violate the artist's privacy, interfere with his art and put him in danger" and "would harm the public, too." Working "anonymously or under a pseudonym serves vital societal interests," he wrote. "It protects freedom of expression by allowing creators to speak truth to power without fear of retaliation, censorship or persecution — particularly when addressing sensitive issues such as politics, religion or social justice."
Reuters took into account Banksy's privacy claims — and the fact that many of his fans wish for him to remain anonymous. Yet we concluded that 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... As for the risk he might face of retaliation or censorship, Britain's legal and political establishments seem comfortable with Banksy's messages and how he delivers them...
His mastery of disguise began as a way of shaking the police, says former manager [Steve] Lazarides. In an interview, Lazarides said anonymity served a practical purpose in Bristol, where authorities enforced "draconian" policies against graffiti... Eventually, keeping the secret became a burden. By the end of their partnership, Lazarides estimates he spent half or more of his time managing and maintaining the artist's mystique. "I think it became a good gag, and then, if you want my honest, honest opinion, I think it then became a disease," he said.
Lazarides wrote a two-volume book about managing Banksy from the late 1990s to 2008, including a story about Banksy's arrest in 2000 for this defacing of a billboard. Reuters geolocated that building, then found police documents and a court file including the hand-written confession. This investigation spawned a 7,000-word article with everything from a comic strip Banksy drew when he was 11 to his connections with Robert Del Naja of the trip hop band Massive Attack — and a 2017 podcast interview where a music producer apparently revealed Banksy's real first name.
But the article also reveals how protective the art community is of Banksy's secret. Reuters investigated that Banksy auctioned in 2018 for $1.4 million — and then immediately started shredding itself with a device Banksy embedded in its frame: That piece, renamed "Love is in the Bin," sold three years later for about $25 million. Art dealer [Robert] Casterline was at the auction and remembers when the shredder began to beep. He pulled out his phone to take pictures. "Unfortunately, there was one person standing in front of me," blocking the view, he said. It was an eccentric-looking man with a broad neck scarf and thick eyewear. Oddly, the man wasn't watching the painting get shredded. He was looking in the other direction, observing the crowd's reaction. Only later, reviewing what he shot, did Casterline notice that the man's glasses appeared to have a small camera built into the bridge. (Banksy later posted a video of the stunt, including shots of the astonished audience.)
Having seen a photo of the man suspected of being Banksy, Casterline confirmed to Reuters that he was "pretty sure" it was the same man.
But "I don't want to be the guy who exposes Banksy."
Yes (Score:5, Insightful)
Why care about the person behind the Banksy signature?
The art is the important part here.
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The art is what should stand out in people's minds, not that he's a pimply-faced overweight 20-year-old school-dropout from some tiny town that nobody has ever heard of... once people know that, the paintings lose all meaning.
Would any of Van Gogh's works be as important if everyone knew he did something like eat a pound of cocoa leaves or drink a pint of absinthe to get high or drunk every time he went to paint anything?
What if it turned out Mozart beat the women in his life? Would that reduce his genius?
Re: Yes (Score:2)
To answer your question we do have use cases such as that cinematographer whose pregnant wife was brutally murdered in LA. He later raped an underaged girl during an audition and ran away to Europe where he continued to have a somewhat successful career.
Some folks do not care about the bad parts.
Re: Yes (Score:1)
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Who's "Rob"?
Is that 'Banksy's real name?
If not, then why are you promoting it as if it is? In this day and age, you can post better, and post links to better researched articles.
You have skeletons in your closet, everyone does (you never did one single thing you wish you didn't do?)... should we start guessing at yours? Don't worry... I know you'll vote me as 'Troll' and say 'I'm an idiot' and such... go ahead, I don't give a shit.
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Who's "Rob"? Is that 'Banksy's real name? If not, then why are you promoting it as if it is?
Why are you asking this on a comment thread about an article that discloses Banksy's real name?
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If you don't care, why are you jamming your hands in here?
Why, exactly... someone jumped up and slapped "Rob" in there.
(entire post follows)
"Re: Yes (Score:1)
by NoorElahi1776 ( 10138383 ) Alter Relationship on Sunday March 15, 2026 @12:22PM (#66042698)
If Rob has any skeletons in his closet, I will enjoy laughing at them. Also his artwork isn't great, it's just popular."
That's where 'Rob' came from.
I don't care who Banksy themselves (or is themself or themselve better, when referring to a single person) is..
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Yes, that is bad... anyone who isn't on board, I'd suggest a mental eval (minimum). Raping children (proved) is truly wrong... labelling someone without proof is just as wrong.
But, is that Banksy? From your post, it's not (who really knows).
And, I hope Banksy's true ID stays a mystery... that makes the whole package more interesting, and the art more interesting... if we didn't know Mona Lisa was painted by Da Vinci, would it be worth more or less?
Re: Yes (Score:2)
I was talking about Polanski: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/... [wikipedia.org]
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You didn't make that obvious or mention a name, or anything.
If you'd said a name, I'd have known.
Re: Yes (Score:2)
He gave enough fucking clues. Clearly you're not only pig ignorant basement dweller but you're unable to use google either.
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If you're saying/talking about Roman Polanski... what, exactly, (pray tell) is the reason they (being politically correct these days) can't just say the name?
Trying to hide it, you could be referring to anyone (like, my post below)
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I was on my phone and could not double check the name. I was not being intentionally cryptic, sorry for any confusion this caused. I think, we can close that subthread now. :-)
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I can agree with that, so I'll let it go.
Anyone else in the room have an issue with letting this subthread go?
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And, I know about that whole thing.
But, without a name (in your post), you could be talking about anyone (the "cinematographer with the pregnant wife" bit should've caught my attention (didn't sleep good last night with my sleeping pills... it happens sometimes), but there's no reason to try to hide that (as far as art goes).
At the same time, (only seen a couple of his movies, so far), Polanski is a really good director (at some point, I want to sit down and give his catalogue a good watch with a critical e
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Not to mention, you're not sodul (the one who said it)...
Are you sodul?
If Polanski had been mentioned, I'd know who was mentioned... I was simply pointing out a lack of transparency about who was referenced.
That's on you, claiming I'm a "pig ignorant basement dweller" (my apartment building doesn't have a basement under it's 10 floors... given enough time, I and the folks and a few friends could probably dig out an apartment under the foundation).
I lived for two years (when I was at The Geek Group) in the w
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Well, obviously (to afford the travel part).
Although, I doubt the lawyer part (they don't have a lawyer enabling this)
The whole 'Banksy' persona is an escape for 'them', not really a clue about a past from the art aspect, probably a loner who watches a lot of BBC (not CNN or something... the material is too varied)... possibly, some abuse in past.
The fact that 'they' channeled that stuff into art instead of a shooting or something is so cool!
Re: Yes (Score:4, Insightful)
But should you go to jail for public commentary?
I think not. Off the work truly damaged the function of a building or space, then go ahead and charge the person.
If it is fostering discussion of important issues, I think we can tolerate some spray paint on a wall.
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It's not *your* wall to make that decision.
Re:Yes (Score:4, Insightful)
What kind of dystopic hellhole do you live in, that sends people to jail for graffiti?
Re: Yes (Score:1)
I can't think of any country where vandalism will never result in a jail sentence. Which country is this "rest of the world" you speak of?
Regardless, you'll get jailed, or worse, for a lot less than that in the rest of the world.
Like in Russia, for making gay clown memes of Putler, or even saying "Putler" at all
Or like in Germany, where offending somebody on the internet will get you raided by the police
Or like in the UK, where making off-color jokes will get you jailed and fined
Or basically anywhere in the
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Re: (Score:2, Interesting)
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This guy makes highly public, widely reported, and politically charged visuals as his art form. That’s cool, it is valid and meaningful art, maybe especially if you don’t agree with it. But there is a person behind what is b
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I see that Banksy makes art that makes people think.
For all that matters he could be a crow.
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One person's crow is another's nightingale.
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I mean, seriously.
1) I couldn't care less who the "real" person is. I enjoy what I've seen of his art, that's all that matters. Frankly, most of the time, I couldn't care less about the "real" person behind any celebrity persona - athletes, movie stars, etc.
2) This puff piece serves mainly to make its author feel important.
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Why care about the person behind the Banksy signature?
The art is the important part here.
I'm with you in this case. Part of the art is that the artist is anonymous.
As others are writing, he has no legal or moral right to privacy. But I think we live in a better world if we don't out him.
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Why care about the person behind the Banksy signature?
The art is the important part here.
It's an interesting journalistic debate. On the one hand their job is to report, not to help people stay anonymous.
But Banksy is part performance art, and his anonymity is part of that, by revealing his identity you arguably destroy the art work.
I feel like this expose kinda gets forgotten because Banksy was never completely anonymous, the reason he's not really known is that people recognize the anonymity is part of it and they don't want to know who he is.
news for turds (Score:2, Insightful)
What does banksy have to do with /.?
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Someone who makes art that sells for $10s of millions isn't "counter culture". They are literally just plain "culture".
Re:news for turds (Score:4, Informative)
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Re: news for turds (Score:1)
Sometimes the editors just post shit nobody even submitted. Every now and then, msmash posts crap about tennis, a sport that nobody plays. And what does that have to do with slashdot?
Re:news for turds (Score:4, Insightful)
You could argue that it is a free speech concern, which has always been a common topic on /..
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What does banksy have to do with /.?
Define nerd? Banksy is one of the kings of mystique to art nerds everywhere. This isn't Slashdot, "News for IT professionals and with career relevant stories only, stuff that is from the AI industry"
This story is a fuckton more interesting than most of the other shit on here as of late.
Re:news for turds (Score:5, Interesting)
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They're talking about whether to dox him or not.
This is a spoiler alert I don't want or need (Score:1)
Re:This is a spoiler alert I don't want or need (Score:5, Insightful)
The fact that the artist is unknown and that the art pops up in the secret anywhere without warning is in an of itself an inseparable part of the art form. I think a significant portion of the meaning would be lost if we knew who the guy (or girl) and they worked in the open. Every idiot can draw street art. The messages in Banksy's art are somewhat inseparable from the anonymous nature of the work.
Re: This is a spoiler alert I don't want or need (Score:1, Troll)
And his art is little more than college grade stencils making juvenile political points. If he hadnt sprayed it over walls no one would have looked at it twice.
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I've seen some of the work in person, and it's not what you say it is.
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I've seen it too and its limited talent crap. The only people who appreciate it are the ones who agree with his politics. No one else gives a toss about it or him.
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its fun to have mysteries in life (Score:4, Insightful)
theres almost certainly no loch ness monster, at least let us keep banksy
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Well, if you want "mystery", Epstein is as good as it gets. Too bad Reuters isn't interested in those identities... not while the "mystery" has such great ratings anyway.
There’s no right to privacy (Score:5, Insightful)
There used to be all sorts of social-contracts and polite agreements that governed a lot of stuff like this. Those are basically all broken. We live in a much coarser world now. Forget doxxing. If you’re even a tiny bit controversial, you gotta accept that there are at least 6 AI-driven internet bots out there trying to get you physically swatted, and they never sleep and never stop.
“Politely asking for your privacy to be respected”. That’s hilarious. Maybe 75 years ago.
Re:He isn't though (Score:4, Informative)
Congrats you couldn't even get the guy's name right after looking it up. You managed to conflate two presumed identities. Robin Gunningham and Robert Del Naja. And yes he was anonymous. Up until now there were nothing more than educated guesses on the name. The two above (which again, even you just fucked up, congrats) were along side another who was also widely presumed to be Banksy.
Re: He isn't though (Score:2)
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His name is Robert Gunningham.
That would be his birth name. He has apparently legally changed his name to David Jones (and as that is a very common name in the UK that provides additional anonymity).
Re: He isn't though (Score:1)
Satoshi Nakamoto is probably more famous (Score:2)
BBC program "The Outlaws" (Score:2)
In the final episode of the first season, Christopher Walken paints over a real Banksy. The producers had got Banksy to create a piece of graffiti, which was destroyed as a minor part of the story line.
Britain's establishment... (Score:5, Interesting)
...is largely irrelevant to the question (he has worked in war zones and those tend to be, ummm, less respectful, shall we say....) and is prone to change its mind at the drop of a hat. There's sectors in the British political scene who have no problem with promoting acts of terror and murder against those they don't like and it's kinda unlikely that they'll hold a referendum on whether to murder a street artist if he posts something they find offensive.
(Depending on which part of the political scene you find yourself allied with, you'll doubtless point to other sectors, but it seems very very unlikely that anyone would subscribe to the notion that there aren't influential psychopaths in Britain, even if there's no agreement on who those are.)
Britain DOES enshrine a right to privacy, as Rupert Murdoch keeps discovering, and much of Europe mostly enshrines the same ideas (occasionally even more strongly). As for "public interest", I would LOVE to hear an explanation of precisely what public interest this serves. No, the public being interested is not the same thing.
A method to test if Robert Del Naja is Banksy (Score:2)
First, I skimmed the long article. So, what I'm proposing may be in the article.
If you haven't read the article, it proposes that Del Naja is Banksy. If you don't know, Del Naja is a member of the band Massive Attack. If you also don't know, Massive Attack is a popular and successful rock band. This means that the band tours around the world. So, here's my proposed test:
1st, get all the dates that Banksy put up graffiti and where he did so. For instance, London, 3/11/24 -- I just made this date up. Next, ha
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If you could, quote the passage from the article where you found it. Also, because there are no page numbers, point out where in the article you found it approximately.
Here's why I think it's Del Naja. This is a quote from the article:
"Horenka resident Tetiana Reznychenko told us she made coffee for the two men who did the bathtub mural and saw the two painters without their masks. As we swiped through the lineup on a cellphone, Reznychenko shook her head no. Then, when shown one of the photos, her eyes wid
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We may both be right. It could be both Gunnigam and Del Naja. Another quote from the article:
"On October 28, 2022, the day Duley and Del Naja entered Ukraine, a “David Jones” also crossed the border at the same location, according to a source familiar with immigration procedures. The source also told us the date of birth listed on Jones’ passport. It was the same as Robin Gunningham’s birthday."
Re: A method to test if Robert Del Naja is Banksy (Score:2)
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Want an even better plan? Read the fucking article!
What if Bansky submitted this post (Score:1)
You've done it again Bangsy.
And ... (Score:2)
the public has a deep interest in understanding the identity and career of a figure with his profound and enduring influence on culture
Only absolute NPCs would want his identity (Score:3)
People that can't see the value in his art and think that the system should prevail no matter what.
Banksy (Score:2)
> Lazarides said anonymity served a practical purpose in Bristol, where authorities enforced "draconian" policies against graffiti.
Yeah, fuck my right not to have people paint things on my building because they think they should have a right to it.
I don't care how good it is, how acclaimed it is, if Banksy's painting without the property owner's permission, it's not an act of rebellion or whatever, it's graffiti.
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if Banksy's painting without the property owner's permission, it's not an act of rebellion or whatever, it's graffiti.
It's weird that you seem to think that, in order to be an act of rebellion, something must be legal. You also imply that a thing cannot be two things.
When John Wilkes Booth assassinated Abraham Lincoln, he committed a crime, an act of rebellion, and a murder.
Personally, if Banksy tagged my house, I would be so fucking happy. I could sell my house for a shitload if it had an original Banksy on the side. That would be like getting mad if you went on vacation and someone broke into your home, didn't steal any
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The law is not supposed to differentiate. If you're OK with Banksy painting on your home, then it's OK for anyone to do so.
Graffiti is graffiti.
Re: Banksy (Score:2)
The law does not differentiate, which is why he has gone to great lengths to maintain his anonymity.
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The law doesn't have to differentiate when people do. People still can. Including the people who would allow charges to be filed. Retroactive consent has some legal weight.
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You seem to be missing the point. Rebellion or not, it's still property damage. Does Banksy have to kill someone and nail them to the side of a building as an artistic statement for people to finally "get it"?
I was hoping his real name would be... (Score:4, Funny)
Dread Pirate Roberts
Banksy isn't anonymous (Score:1)
His name is Robert Paulson (Score:2, Insightful)
right or no right... (Score:2)
If you want to stay anonymous, who am I to uncover you to the public, for a few clicks and a pat on the shoulders?
If anything, we need to fight for our rights to remain anonymous. Online, offline, anywhere. The most massive clue that we need anonymity should be the zeal with which politicians and powerful corporations try again and again and again to force us into using real names online, make everything trackable, and pierce any pseudonymity or privacy layers. These fuckers never, ever, have our interest i
Big rule: no doxing (Score:2)
Anonymous speech is the only honest speech. Sorry not sorry.
But, I am not a Bansky fan. His art is trite and the politics moronic.
Yes, name and shame (Score:2)
Absolutely Banksy should be identified. Not for "fans" though, but so he can be prosecuted for every single instance of vandalism that he has conducted over the years. Many people in the UK have been imprisoned for just one instance of graffiti, let alone multiple offences over decades. There is absolutely no reason one man should get a free pass just because some people think his art is "clever" or "good". I'm super impressed by some of London's street artists, yet I still feel it's wrong to deface a train