The Secret of Banksy's Identity

Ask a random passerby to name a graffiti artist , and chances are they will mention Banksy. The satirical works of this anonymous artist are world-famous, but why exactly?

In this blogpost we try to discover why his works appeal to the imagination. But let's start at the beginning: who is Banksy actually?

Art should comfort the disturbed and disturb the comfortable.

It is not clear who Banksy is exactly. We know he is from Bristol and according to author Tristan Manco he trained as a butcher. In the late eighties he became active in the graffiti scene, which maintained close ties with other artists.

It didn't take long before Banksy conquered other cities in Great Britain with his graffiti and street art artworks. Murals by his hand have also been found in Spain, Italy, the US, Palestine, Mali, and Australia.

In the film Exit Through The Gift Shop, he is followed in the run-up to an exhibition in Los Angeles, but the viewer learns little about who Banksy really is. Some film critics even believe that the entire documentary was made to sow confusion about Banksy's identity. Whether or not that is the case, we still do not know who is hiding behind the pseudonym Banksy.

Why Banksy's street art is so popular

Let's wrap it up: Part of Banksy's popularity is, of course, devoted to the mystery of his identity. We are curious creatures, but of course that does not fully explain his celebrity.

His challenging of sacred cows, the quality of his street art stencils, and the fact that celebrities like Cristina Angelina and 'Brangelina' have purchased his works naturally also contribute to his fame.

Where other graffiti artists choose to promote themselves, Banksy lets his art speak for itself. Perhaps more artists should follow this strategy. For Banksy, at least, it seems to work just fine!

The biggest crimes in the world are not committed by people breaking the rules but by people following the rules.

Some examples of Banksy's work

Some photos of street art works made by Banksy.

Is Banksy the best street art artist?

Due to the originality of his works, combined with the (sometimes daring) locations and the media hype created, Banksy is, in our opinion, absolutely the most famous street art artist.

On the other hand, there is a significant difference between the most famous and the best street art, which is also a matter of taste. Nowadays, there are many graffiti and street art artists worldwide who create original, bold, unique, and technically very difficult works of art.

Curious about a graffiti artist's essentials? Read more about a graffiti artist's toolkit.

Would you like to learn how to make graffiti or street art yourself?

Are you interested in graffiti and street art, and would you like to participate in a street art workshop, alone or with a friend? Then sign up for our workshops for individuals in Amsterdam, Rotterdam, or Antwerp and learn the basics of spraying graffiti.

You can also find inspiration during the many street art tours that the Netherlands and Belgium have to offer. Don't feel like going out? Then our 'Online tutorial: making graffiti yourself' is for you. This graffiti tutorial consists of 4 episodes, and the exercises increase in difficulty with each episode.