Unmasking Banksy

By Jenna Repasky 

Banksy, a popular street artist whose identity has been unknown for decades now, has captivated the world of art for years with his politically charged graffiti. However, his mysterious persona may be revealed with an upcoming £1.3 million ($1.6 million) lawsuit. The anonymous muralist has been embroiled in legal battles and time again in the past few years, but this case in particular has once again piqued public interest in his identity.

Banksy’s art first emerged in Bristol, England in the early 2000s, often characterized by distinct stencil images. Since then, many have speculated the artist’s true identity, and some have even imitated his work, falsely claiming his name. His anonymity becoming the cornerstone of his persona, Banksy has amassed a global following of 12.1 million followers on his Instagram account.

Banksy’s legal struggle began in 2019 when he lost a trademark case against British greeting card company Full Colour Black. His famous art piece “Flower Thrower” sat on the greeting cards without the artist’s permission. However, because Banksy chooses to be anonymous and showcase his art publicly for the world, it was a ruled that his art could not be trademarked. In response to this ruling, Banksy created “Pest Control,” a company designed to protect his work under his name and authenticate his pieces. Pest Control would preserve his anonymity, while also granting him more control over his work. More recently, the street artist is face to face with claims of defamation due to an Instagram post in November of 2022 with the caption: “Alerting all shoplifters. Please go to GUESS on Regent Street. They’ve helped themselves to my artwork without asking, how can it be wrong for you to do the same to their clothes?”

The new lawsuit, triggered by Banksy’s now deleted Instagram post, seeks $1.6 million for “serious financial loss” and “serious harm.” In fact, lawyers of Full Colour Black Ltd, which owns the “Brandalised” trademark, said they may push for the artist to reveal his identity during the legal battle. However, with his name kept off court documents, the likelihood of Banksy revealing his identity is low.

Moreover, the public has speculated Banksy’s identity. Even sports betting websites like Gambling 911, BetUS, and BetOnline are offering their own odds for the creator of the stenciled street art. The name that keeps popping up over and over is  . Other sources address the possibility of Banksy being a collective of professional artists. The theory states that Banksy,   may have originally been one person, has grown into a team of artists. This claim is backed by the notion that his larger works like Dismaland (a piece with a sinister outlook on the Disneyland theme parks) and Walled Off Hotel (an actual hotel that serves as commentary on the Israel/Palestine conflict) would require many persons to orchestrate and produce the works.

            So why should we care? Whether or not Banksy’s identity is revealed does not change the impact of his previous installations. However, many attribute the allure of his work to his anonymity. The question here lies more along the lines of should his anonymity effect how his art is treated as intellectual property.