The identify of the famously anonymous artist Banksy could soon be revealed in the High Court.
Known for his extraordinary artworks which have become famous around the world, the true artist has managed to garner extensive acclaim.
However, his identity has never been revealed with very little people knowing just who he is. But this could all be about to change in the High Court because of a defamation lawsuit.
The case is being made against Bristol born artist Robin Gunningham, a man who has been linked with Banksy’s identity since 2008.
His co-defendant is Pest Control Ltd, the company which sells the artist’s work.
The lawsuit has been filed by 56-year-old Andrew Gallacher. Mr Gallacher’s lawyer told the Mail he was “not at liberty to say any more about the claim”.
He said that further details were “confidential and will remain so until Banksy or Pest Control file their acknowledgement of service”.
Several people have been linked with the artist including Art Attack’s Neil Buchanan who denied the rumour in 2020.
Banksy’s true name has remained a mystery since the artist began making waves with dynamic art at the turn of the century after spray painting trains in Bristol.
From Bristol, Banksy conquered the UK with strong images depicting wider issues, including a cracked EU flag at the Port of Dover in Kent, which had a worker chipping away at it. The location was powerful in itself as the port is known as the UK’s Gateway to Europe.
Since the war has broken out in Ukraine, Banksy has also made the journey across to paint several murals on a series of destroyed and damaged buildings in the nation’s capital Kyiv last November.
CEO of French charity Neo-Eco Bart Gruyaert told the Guardian: “Banksy is a little ray of sunshine. He has a different way of looking at things, which is elevated rather than brutal. The mural is brilliant.
“A lot of people see it as a monument to their suffering. It’s long-lasting. Art travels through time.”
Cambridge Phd student Constancce Uzwyshyn added that Banksy’s works weren’t “fixtures of permanency” and that they had been painted on a “volatile canvas”.
She added: “They make people feel valued. I personally think Bansky did his job by going to Ukraine with his team and risking his life. He has raised the importance of supporting the country.”
