Reuters investigation may have unmasked Banksy. New evidence points to a real name, but the artist's team remains silent and challenges the report.
- March 17, 2026
AceShowbiz - The elusive street artist known as Banksy may finally have been identified, according to a detailed investigation published by Reuters on March 16, 2026.
The report reveals the discovery of a handwritten and signed confession related to a disorderly conduct misdemeanor from approximately 25 years ago. The signature on the document appears to read Robin Gunningham, a name linked multiple times to court records about the arrest.
Banksy’s official company, Pest Control, stated the artist “has decided to say nothing” in response to the revelations. Meanwhile, Banksy’s lawyer, Mark Stephens, challenged many details of the report, emphasizing that his client “does not accept that many of the details contained within your enquiry are correct.” Stephens neither confirmed nor denied the artist’s identity but warned Reuters that publishing the investigation could breach privacy and endanger Banksy’s safety.
This is not the first time the name Robin Gunningham has surfaced in connection with Banksy. The Mail on Sunday first suggested in 2008 that Gunningham was the true identity behind the artist, but Banksy’s manager at the time denied that the accompanying photograph showed the artist.
Other theories over the years have pointed to figures like Robert Del Naja, frontman of the band Massive Attack, as potential candidates for Banksy’s identity.
The crucial piece of evidence highlighted in the Reuters investigation is the signed confession from an arrest in New York City in 2000. According to Banksy’s former manager, Steve Lazarides, the artist was detained by NYPD for defacing a Marc Jacobs Men billboard.
In the confession, Banksy described the act as “a humorous adjustment” and signed the document with the initials “RG.” At the time, authorities reportedly did not realize they had apprehended the now-famous artist, who had only recently begun using the Banksy pseudonym and signature style.
The report also notes that in 2008, Banksy supposedly changed his legal name from Robin Gunningham to David Jones, a common British name, to help conceal his identity and blend in more easily.
While Banksy remains silent and his representatives maintain ambiguity, the newly surfaced evidence could mark a turning point in understanding the true identity of one of the world’s most enigmatic artists.
