- Legendary street artist Banksy recently revealed two new pieces of art, and it has stirred up conversations regarding their identity once again.
- Banksy started doing graffiti in 1990, and has since turned into an icon due to his art, which usually features a social message.
- There are odds at online sportsbooks in regard to who Banksy could be, including Gorillaz members Jamie Hewlett and Damon Albarn, and DJ Goldie.
Banksy is a legend in the global art community, both for his work, and his anonymity. Since emerging in the early 2000s, Banksy’s stenciled works have garnered tons of attention, typically for social causes.
On August 5, ARTnews reported on a new Banksy piece in London, featuring a mountain goat in a dangerous position. The next day on August 6, Banksy revealed another piece, this time with two elephants facing each other. Both works have been stenciled on the side of the buildings in London.
New Banksy Works Spark Conversation on Their Meanings
The first piece was featured on Banksy’s Instagram:
View this post on Instagram
It is located near the Kew Bridge in West London, and it shows a silhouette of a goat, which is perched on top of a narrow ledge. Rocks seem to be falling from the goat’s perch, and there is a security camera that is pointed at the goat. Of course, that has led to conversation on what it means. Art teacher and Banksy fan Amber Doffman stated in an interview with The Sun:
“I think it’s to do with the environment — and how we’ve ruined it to the point that animals don’t know where to go anymore. It’s also worth noting that that security camera wasn’t facing that way before. Banksy has turned it towards the goat. It’s like it’s wanting its attention.”
That’s just Doffman’s opinion, and there are plenty of ideas on what Banksy could mean. One person on Instagram commented “Scapegoat”, while another simply claimed “the goat is back”, meaning Banksy is the Greatest Of All Time.
Then on the morning of August 6, another piece was released on Banksy’s Instagram:
View this post on Instagram
This shows two elephants facing each other, looking to communicate with each other. In the comments, people are surmising that it could have something to do with the saying, “the elephant in the room”, meaning a problem people are overlooking, which could be anything. This artwork was found closer to the Chelsea area of West London.
Banksy is involved in a back-and-forth with British Home Secretary James Cleverly, who said his piece involving a life raft was “vile and unacceptable”. Banksy responded that the life raft symbolized a real raft that he funded to save children looking to migrate to the United Kingdom, in the middle of the Mediterranean Sea. That raft was seized by authorities in Italy, which Banksy said, “seems vile and unacceptable to me”.
Who is Banksy?
Just who is Banksy? There have been various theories floating around the internet. Bovada, one of the leading sports betting sites, has odds on their identity, led by Robin Gunningham at +150. Gunningham seems to be a man from Bristol, and The Mail on Sunday made this claim in 2008. However, there is no confirmation. However, he did reveal in a BBC interview that his first name is “Robbie”.
Other options on the sportsbook board are Robert Del Naja (+600), one of the founding members of UK trip-hop band Massive Attack. Del Naja has stated in the past that he is a friend of Banksy’s. He was also a graffiti artist in his past life.
Also on the board is Joy Millward (+400), who is a lobbyist rumored to be married to Gunningham. Fellow street artist Thierry Guetta (+600) is also an option, and he appeared in Banksy’s 2010 documentary, Exit Through the Gift Shop.
Two more intriguing options are Jamie Hewlett (+200) and Damon Albarn (+4000). Hewlett and Albarn form the band, Gorillaz, while Albarn is also the frontman for Blur. However, Hewlett is a comic-book artist, and the two came up with the Gorillaz idea while sharing an apartment.
We may not find out Banksy’s identity for a long time to come, but rest assured, their art will keep them in the news.
