A household name, an anonymous figure, a rebellious voice—Banksy has become both the most secretive and the most in-demand artist of our time.
Early career
Banksy’s work first appeared on the streets of Bristol in the 1990s—spray-painted in the dead of night, running when sirens rang too close by. His early freehand graffiti gave way to pre-cut stencils, a shift that allowed him to work faster, reproduce images in multiple locations, and refine his distinctive style. He left the tag Banksy to sign his work, and his anonymity was a necessary step to shield himself from arrest for criminal damage.
Rise to prominence
By the early 2000s, stencilled rats began appearing across London where Banksy relocated and he would move from “professional vandal” to world-renowned artist. Banksy’s work, politically charged and often laced with satire, challenged the art world’s norms and found an audience far beyond the streets. Banksy didn’t wait for galleries to open their doors—he broke in. Scaling drainpipes, securing scaffolding, even sneaking into London and Barcelona zoos to paint messages inside animal enclosures—his stunts were as much a part of his art as the images themselves.
“Monet had light, Hockney had colour and I've got police response time,” - Banksy (Cut and Run, GoMA, 2023)
During this period, Banksy worked with Pictures on Walls (POW), the print house that played a crucial role in making his work more accessible to collectors. POW were the only distributor of limited-edition prints of Banksy’s art among other illustrators and graffiti artists, bringing his subversive imagery into homes and galleries while maintaining an anti-establishment ethos. This partnership was instrumental in his rise, solidifying his status in both the underground and mainstream art worlds.
Later, he pulled off even more daring heists, smuggling his own pieces into the Tate, the British Museum, the Louvre, and the New York Met.
Why the secrecy?
Banksy’s feats raise some extraordinary prospects. To pull them off, we have to speculate he must have worked prolifically—working at night, at speed, transporting heavy stencils, spray-painting 20 feet or more up in the air evading capture.
Banksy has never confirmed or denied much about his identity. Rumours abound, theories are endless, but few verifiable facts exist. Over the years, news outlets have claimed to have unmasked him. Yet, none of it has ever been proven. The truth is, few want to know.
His anonymity is part of the art. It allows him to sidestep the cult of celebrity, to focus on the message rather than the artist. It protects him from the commercialisation of his own work. And it keeps the world guessing.
Banksy today
Despite more than three decades in the game, Banksy remains as active and unpredictable as ever. In 2024, a series of new murals—featuring mountain goats, elephants, and a gorilla at London Zoo—sparked fresh speculation about their meaning. But true to form, Banksy let the work speak for itself.
“Graffiti has been used to start revolutions, stop wars, and generally is the voice of people who aren’t listened to. Graffiti is one of those few tools you have if you have almost nothing.” – Banging Your Head Against a Brick Wall (2001)
So, who is Banksy? Maybe the better question is: does it even matter? His collaborators remain fiercely loyal, the public respects the mystery, and the art world has been forever changed. Banksy isn’t just a person—so he can’t become an establishment figure, even as the value of his work reaches new heights. Banksy is an idea, a movement, a challenge. And that’s exactly how it should be.
If you're a fan of contemporary art, street art or just love a good mystery, Banksy’s work is something you definitely won’t want to miss.
Discover a collection of limited-edition Banksy prints at Hancock Gallery, authenticated by Pest Control. Visit us at our gallery in Newcastle upon Tyne to view them in person.
Header image by Marialaura Gionfriddo Robinson Greig
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