Overview

Banksy changed the modern art world, taking it from galleries and onto the street. His identity has always been hidden from the public; keeping this secret was key to avoiding any criminal charges. He started as a freehand graffiti artist in Bristol but turned to the art of stencilling after realising how much quicker it was to complete work. Banksy developed a distinctive iconography of highly recognisable images, such as rats and police officers, that communicated his anti-authoritarian message. As his art spread, so did his popularity. He made headlines for his Kissing Coppers, painted the West Bank Wall and walked into galleries and hung his own work. Banksy is one of the best-known artists of the 21st Century, yet, does anybody know who he really is?

1. Finlay Bald

   Director, Writer