The identity of mysterious graffiti artist Banksy could finally be revealed in just a few days times thanks to a High Court legal battle.
The world-famous graffiti artist has never been officially named or pictured, despite being known around for the world for his random art usually painted without warning anywhere he feels like it. However, later this month he could appear at the High Court after being named as first defendant in a defamation case against him and his art sales company, Pest Control Ltd.
The case is being brought to the High Court by 56-year-old Andrew Gallagher, an entrepreneur who began work in the 1990s music industry before later branching out into graffiti. And just days before the hearing, Bansky has now filed defence documents to the court, The Sun claims.
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(Image: AFP via Getty Images)
Contained within the documents would be Banksy’s real name, meaning that his long-hidden identity could finally be revealed. However, it wouldn’t actually be the first time that the man’s apparent real name has been revealed, after late last year a 2003 BBC interview with him was unearthed.
During the chat, former BBC arts correspondent Nigel Wrench asked if he could use Banksy’s real name.
The brief chat went as follows:
Nigel: Are you happy for me to use your name? I mean, The Independent has.
Banksy: Yeah.
Nigel: Is it Robert Banks?
Banksy: It’s Robbie.
Nigel: Robbie. Okay. Robbie.
(Image: AFP via Getty Images)
In the exclusive BBC interview, when asked if graffiti is vandalism, Banksy responded: “Yeah. If it’s done properly it is illegal! But I got a good reaction I think off most people from my work. You know, I’ve even had policemen in the past say they kind of like things about it, but… I just think it’s my right to go out and paint it.
“And it is equally somebody else’s right to go out and paint over it if they don’t like it, you know? It doesn’t actually take very long with a bucket of white paint to paint over things. I think it’s better if you treat the city like a big playground, you know? It’s there to mess about in, you know?”
Despite this exchange, it now appears that we could have a real answer to the question of who Banksy is later this month.
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