Comments on: Banksy uncovered?

Banksy uncovered?

Kattullus — Sun, 13 Jul 2008 17:03:59 -0800

English newspaper Mail on Sunday claims to have uncovered the identity of artist Banksy claiming his name is Robin Gunningham: "People who know Gunningham are now unable to say what has become of him. His father Peter, who lives in Kingsdown, Bristol, denied that the man in the photograph was his son, and his mother Pamela was surprised by the picture, then denied she even had a son, let alone one called Robin." More information in a report from CBC. If you don't know who Banksy is visit a Flickr pool with over 7000 pictures of his work in situ or check out previous MetaFilter posts about Banksy.

By: East Manitoba Regional Junior Kabaddi Champion '94

East Manitoba Regional Junior Kabaddi Champion '94 — Sun, 13 Jul 2008 17:07:20 -0800

But have they managed to blame any of this on the Eastern Europeans?

By: pyrex

pyrex — Sun, 13 Jul 2008 17:07:33 -0800

Banksy is everyone. And no one. Or some such bla.

By: jack_mo

jack_mo — Sun, 13 Jul 2008 17:12:56 -0800

So, now that the mystery is gone, all he has left is the work? Uh oh.

By: Kattullus

Kattullus — Sun, 13 Jul 2008 17:15:43 -0800

Oh, by the by, that Flickr pool is my favorite place to see work by Banksy. As far as I can tell it's photos taken by random people of work by Banksy. It really gives a flavor of what it's like to see his art in the field.

By: Kattullus

Kattullus — Sun, 13 Jul 2008 17:18:03 -0800

Oh, and scanned from magazines (but usually when it is it's obvious).

By: smackfu

smackfu — Sun, 13 Jul 2008 17:22:30 -0800

The man in the photograph, he insisted, was formerly known as Robin Gunningham - and it didn't require much imagination to work out how such a name could result in the nickname Banksy. Oh really?

By: R. Mutt

R. Mutt — Sun, 13 Jul 2008 17:25:53 -0800

It really gives a flavor of what it's like to see his art in the field. I think it actually looks better in reproduction, which is usually a really bad sign.

By: Static Vagabond

Static Vagabond — Sun, 13 Jul 2008 17:27:09 -0800

I am ~~spartacus~~ Banksy!

By: jack_mo

jack_mo — Sun, 13 Jul 2008 17:30:59 -0800

Now that I've actually bothered to RTFA, that does look like the guy who was supposed to be Banksy at the opening of his show with Jamie Read in Glasgow a few years back. (But then if I were Banksy, I'd probably have a random mate around to absorb the rumours at events like that...)

By: fire&wings

fire&wings — Sun, 13 Jul 2008 17:31:10 -0800

Banksy is a square sunglass wearing twat from a public school. I am shocked to my very core.

By: jack_mo

jack_mo — Sun, 13 Jul 2008 17:31:58 -0800

Jamie Reid, that is.

By: Thorzdad

Thorzdad — Sun, 13 Jul 2008 17:35:00 -0800

And here I was hoping against hope 2008 was going to be gloriously Banksy-free here on the blue. Feh.

By: R. Mutt

R. Mutt — Sun, 13 Jul 2008 17:39:45 -0800

Nice headline: Banksy unmasked as middle-class Bristol suburbanite

By: Flashman

Flashman — Sun, 13 Jul 2008 17:41:38 -0800

Is the flower in Bethnal Green still there? I've been meaning to go take a look at it for about 9 months now, and I hope it is. It's at least one thing he's done that to me smacks of brilliance. Based on my cursory knowledge of his work, that is. Right near my flat is another one of his pieces, now under plexigalss, on Essex Road, and it really doesn't look like much anymore. The plexiglass causes condensation to build up so it's obscured and hard to see. Ironically.

By: Kattullus

Kattullus — Sun, 13 Jul 2008 17:47:43 -0800

Banksy's Flower in Bethnal Green. The "self portait" in the Mail on Sunday article is a detail from that.

By: stokast

stokast — Sun, 13 Jul 2008 17:48:50 -0800

Metafilter - Unmasked as middle-class Bristol suburbanite.

By: Flashman

Flashman — Sun, 13 Jul 2008 17:50:34 -0800

Before After Also, the flower in Bethnal Green now. Fuckers.

By: empath

empath — Sun, 13 Jul 2008 17:52:04 -0800

DC Graffiti artist BORF was another middle class kid going to an expensive private art school.

By: R. Mutt

R. Mutt — Sun, 13 Jul 2008 17:54:01 -0800

Clearly, his mistake was in not "gifting" the underpaid and overworked Mail reporters a work of art.

By: Muffpub

Muffpub — Sun, 13 Jul 2008 18:09:30 -0800

I really hope this isn't true.

By: delmoi

delmoi — Sun, 13 Jul 2008 18:23:14 -0800

I really hope this isn't true. Why?

By: Slothrup

Slothrup — Sun, 13 Jul 2008 18:23:17 -0800

I love the fact that "public school" in Britain means basically the same as "private school" in the US.

By: delmoi

delmoi — Sun, 13 Jul 2008 18:31:50 -0800

Speaking of which, what do they call "public schools" in the U.K?

By: jokeefe

jokeefe — Sun, 13 Jul 2008 18:39:03 -0800

I love the way that having attended private school automatically deprives any artist or popular musician in the UK of any credibility whatsoever. Or at least makes them fight for it.

By: neustile

neustile — Sun, 13 Jul 2008 18:43:22 -0800

The man in the photograph, he insisted, was formerly known as Robin Gunningham - and it didn't require much imagination to work out how such a name could result in the nickname Banksy. Yeah, somebody wanna help me out here? Is there some codebook for cute-british nicknames?

By: humannaire

humannaire — Sun, 13 Jul 2008 18:46:44 -0800

Graffiti Blue. I name this post Fine Art Blue. At its heart, it is an oxymoron.

By: vertigo25

vertigo25 — Sun, 13 Jul 2008 18:46:46 -0800

I am ~~Spartacus~~ Banksy...

By: Divine_Wino

Divine_Wino — Sun, 13 Jul 2008 18:50:44 -0800

I like banksy ok.

By: jessssse

jessssse — Sun, 13 Jul 2008 18:56:05 -0800

the real surprise for me is that for all this time i've been reading his name as bansky.

By: DU

DU — Sun, 13 Jul 2008 18:56:16 -0800

I'm ~~jealous of~~better than Banksy.

By: Mayor Curley

Mayor Curley — Sun, 13 Jul 2008 19:18:31 -0800

Yeah, somebody wanna help me out here? Is there some codebook for cute-british nicknames? It's shabby newspaper oversimplification. "Robin Banks" is a pun name (a play on "Robbin' banks") dating at least to the 70's, probably much earlier-- Robin Crocker, former Clash roadie and subject of the Mick Jones opus "Stay Free" used it as a pseudonym in punk rock 'zines in the 70's. So really, all that you could deduce from the nickname "Banksy" is that it might come from someone who went by the abused "Robin Banks" and that person probably had the real first name "Robin" to have that cliche thrust upon them. But to a hack writer, it's obvious in hindsight.

By: jeffmik

jeffmik — Sun, 13 Jul 2008 19:21:13 -0800

Robin Banks-y?

By: chinese_fashion

chinese_fashion — Sun, 13 Jul 2008 19:59:39 -0800

Why does it matter where he grew up or went to school? He can't really help that, can he? All that matters to me is the quality of the artwork ... which is really, really high IMO. So what if part of his story is boring, the work speaks for itself.

By: Arturus

Arturus — Sun, 13 Jul 2008 20:08:13 -0800

I don't really care who he is. I like his stuff though.

By: ericb

ericb — Sun, 13 Jul 2008 20:37:01 -0800

Speaking of which, what do they call "public schools" in the U.K? State schools.

By: Stonestock Relentless

Stonestock Relentless — Sun, 13 Jul 2008 20:38:18 -0800

I love how haters think street artists are supposed to be magical homeless people that, despite a life deprived of money and education, travel the world giving art away for free, anonymously.

By: ericb

ericb — Sun, 13 Jul 2008 20:43:22 -0800

George Michael Wants to be Targeted by Street Artist Banksy.

By: the_bone

the_bone — Sun, 13 Jul 2008 20:43:51 -0800

By: ericb

ericb — Sun, 13 Jul 2008 20:53:04 -0800

May 9, 2008: Are street artists Banksy and Nick Walker one and the same? That's what some people are saying^* June 5, 2008: Banksy: the Michelangelo of graffiti? June 13, 2008: An interview with Banksy?

By: mr_roboto

mr_roboto — Sun, 13 Jul 2008 21:11:24 -0800

Against my own best, cynical, instincts, I love this guy's work. Forget the whole mystique thing, the art speaks for itself. This is just tremendous.

By: dhruva

dhruva — Sun, 13 Jul 2008 22:05:33 -0800

There's a Banksy in Melbourne that was covered by plexiglass presumably to prevent it from disappearing, and some wag had affixed a small cardboard to it saying " is it art if it's behind glass?"

By: zippy

zippy — Sun, 13 Jul 2008 22:29:51 -0800

This! Is. ~~Spartacus!~~ Banksy!

By: gene_machine

gene_machine — Mon, 14 Jul 2008 00:25:34 -0800

Ignore anything the Daily Mail says.

By: gene_machine

gene_machine — Mon, 14 Jul 2008 00:26:39 -0800

Sorry, Mail on Sunday. You can make an exception for their review of my book.

By: PeterMcDermott

PeterMcDermott — Mon, 14 Jul 2008 00:48:35 -0800

Banksy unmasked as middle-class Bristol suburbanite Next they'll be trying to tell me Tim Westwood isn't actually black.

By: Abiezer

Abiezer — Mon, 14 Jul 2008 00:52:04 -0800

Why does it matter where he grew up or went to school? He can't really help that, can he? This should be the case, but he has made a big deal about his tough upbringing in the rougher parts of Bristol (Hartcliffe), riots and all, so he's made his own bed here.

By: MuffinMan

MuffinMan — Mon, 14 Jul 2008 05:21:04 -0800

I like Banksy's work. Before he was feted by the masses I bought a print of his Golf Sale picture for a measly 35 squid and had it framed. I remember at the time thinking it was silly paying 75 quid for framing for a picture worth half that. Then I gave it to my brother. Anyway, to cut a long story short the print is now worth about a grand. And while I'm glad my brother has a nice picture, I'm gutted I didn't buy myself a copy as I liked it too (and collect pictures).

By: vacapinta

vacapinta — Mon, 14 Jul 2008 06:02:42 -0800

Why does it matter where he grew up or went to school? He can't really help that, can he? As an American (a Californian even!) who has recently moved to the UK, I can tell you that thats a very "American" question to ask and one that Brits undoubtedly perceive as naive.

By: srboisvert

srboisvert — Mon, 14 Jul 2008 06:28:45 -0800

As an American (a Californian even!) who has recently moved to the UK, I can tell you that thats a very "American" question to ask and one that Brits undoubtedly perceive as naive. They also think it is very American to expect toilets to flush properly.

By: rhymer

rhymer — Mon, 14 Jul 2008 07:05:02 -0800

One for all those "haters" who find banksy over-hyped and over-done.

By: Kattullus

Kattullus — Mon, 14 Jul 2008 07:22:24 -0800

"Coz Banksy's an anarchalist what don't respect no law, innit?" If you're middle-class you're a poseur and if you're working class you're a dumb brute. Man, the English class society has got you pegged whatever you do.

By: fearfulsymmetry

fearfulsymmetry — Mon, 14 Jul 2008 10:14:23 -0800

I thought this came out ages ok? I've certainly seen that photo before

By: fearfulsymmetry

fearfulsymmetry — Mon, 14 Jul 2008 10:15:24 -0800

damn, ok/ago...

By: criticalbill

criticalbill — Mon, 14 Jul 2008 11:17:23 -0800

The picture was taken about 4 years ago by Peter Dean Rickards from the Afflicted Yard , who apparently took a dislike to Banksy as he swanned about Jamaica, kind of like a public schoolboy might, in retrospect, but it is only recently that the Heil on Sunday decided to swan about Bristol pic in hand trying to find someone to ID it. Seems like they got him though. Typical, you have to go to a public school even to be a graffiti artist nowadays

By: criticalbill

criticalbill — Mon, 14 Jul 2008 11:18:41 -0800

And I love Charlie Brooker, or at least I like him, but he's wrong in that piece

By: TheWash

TheWash — Mon, 14 Jul 2008 11:52:41 -0800

Hey, any Brits out there still reading this thread? Here's a question. The Daily Mail story says: "The man in the photograph, he insisted, was formerly known as Robin Gunningham - and it didn't require much imagination to work out how such a name could result in the nickname Banksy." I assume my apparent lack of imagination is due to the fact that I'm not from the UK? What do they mean? I can't see the connection "Robin Gunningham" and "Banksy" at all, and I'm a pun king.

By: mr_roboto

mr_roboto — Mon, 14 Jul 2008 12:02:47 -0800

TheWash: See above.

By: TheWash

TheWash — Mon, 14 Jul 2008 12:17:18 -0800

Ah! So "Gunningham" was a red herring. Seems like the Daily Mail writer could have written that sentence better.

By: five fresh fish

five fresh fish — Mon, 14 Jul 2008 18:15:18 -0800

I think there's probably more than one Banksy. That, or the guy is insanely prolific.

By: saturnine

saturnine — Sat, 19 Jul 2008 13:58:26 -0800

I am really late to this thread, but "May 9, 2008: Are street artists Banksy and Nick Walker one and the same? That's what some people are saying*" made me laugh my ass off. If you can't tell the difference between their work, you should give up whatever quest you're on to find out his real identity.