Banksy has been a prominent figure in the art world for over 30 years, with his pieces selling for millions of pounds, but the artist's identity still remains a mystery.
A fifth Banksy mural has been discovered in as many days - a break in tradition for the elusive artist who often goes months between pieces.
The mural, a silhouette of two pelicans, one eating a fish, was spotted above a fish and chip shop in Walthamstow, in northeast London today (August 9). It comes just a day after Banksy confirmed a painting of a howling wolf painted on a satellite dish in Peckham was one of his.
The wolf mural was stolen just hours after it was confirmed via the artist's Instagram in what has now become his signature style.
The Pye Lane piece was the latest in a series of animal-themed paintings from the artist over the past week. The artist’s series also included an ibex goat above a CCTV camera in west London, two elephants greeting each other on bricked up windows in Chelsea, and three monkeys swinging from a train bridge.
The satellite dish is not the only Banksy in London to have been removed either. In December, a stop sign featuring three military drones was removed in Peckham. Two people were arrested following the incident.
First becoming active in the 1990s, Banksy has become known for his satirical graffiti, distinctive stencilling, and dark humour, but his identity still remains a mystery. So here’s everything we know about the illusive graffiti artist:
Who is Banksy?
Originally from Bristol in south west England, a number of Banksy’s pieces are still present around the city. There are a total of 12 Banksy pieces still around Bristol, including Mild Mild West, a mural showing a teddy bear throwing a Molotov co*cktail at a squad of riot police.
The piece is said to be a response to police officers clamping down on “illegal raves”. Having appeared in the 1990s it is said to be one of his earliest works.
Former public schoolboy Robin Gunningham has long been rumoured to be Banksy. Born in 1973, in Bristol, he attended Bristol Cathedral School, reports The Sun .
A man bearing a resemblance to Gunningham was spotted at the scene of a Banksy painting in Finnsbury Park in March. Although he denied being the artist, claiming his son was the building owner.
Theorists say the location of Banksy’s artworks mimic where Gunningham has moved throughout his life. While academics at the Queen Mary University of London used geo-profiling to match the pair’s movements.
Queen Mary University biologist Steve Le Comber told the BBC: “I’d be surprised if it’s not (Gunningham), even without our analysis, but it’s interesting that the analysis offers additional support for it. What I thought I would do is pull out the 10 most likely suspects, evaluate all of them and not name any.
“But it rapidly became apparent that there is only one serious suspect, and everyone knows who it is. If you Google Banksy and Gunningham you get something like 43,500 hits.”
Bristol musician Robert Del Naja has also been touted as a possibly real identity of Banksy. The Massive Attack star rose to prominence as a graffiti artist known as 3D in the 1990s. He was previously identified as a close friend of Banksy.
In 2020, former Art Attack star Neil Buchanan was forced to deny he was Banksy after rumours online said pieces appeared where his band Marseille played. However, his publicist said: “Neil Buchanan ISN'T Banksy.”
Pembroke Dock councillor Billy Gannon denied being Banksy in 2022, resigning from the authority due to the rumours. Speaking to the Guardian he said: “Every time I deny I am Banksy … a significant number of people in the town [decide] that I am, or could possibly be, Banksy.”
What is Banksy’s net worth?
According to Celebrity Net Worth , Banksy is worth around $50million - around £37.5 million. It is thought the artist makes his money from sales. His piece “Love is in the Bin” - a half-shredded painting of his Girl with Balloon mural - sold for £18,582,000 in 2021
Banksy also works with printmakers to make limited edition prints of his work. A signed print can fetch around £35,000.
In March, a signed print of Girl with Balloon was estimated to sell for around £256,500, reports Banksy Value. An unsigned print of Golf Sale would be the cheapest, thought to cost around £8,000.
