Banksy: The Essential Guide

Who is Banksy?

Banksy is the pseudonym of an artist from Bristol who has kept his identity hidden throughout his career. His birth year is believed to be 1974, but this has never been confirmed. He works through a small team and announces genuine works on his official Instagram account; a company called Pest Control handles authentication of his work.

In March 2026 the news agency Reuters published an investigation naming a man it said was Banksy. The artist's lawyers had asked Reuters not to publish, citing his privacy and safety, and Banksy has not confirmed it. Out of respect for that privacy we do not repeat the name here; it is not needed to understand his work.

How did Banksy start?

Banksy came out of the Bristol graffiti scene of the 1980s and 1990s, influenced by 3D, Nick Walker and the French stencil pioneer Blek le Rat. He began with freehand graffiti and moved to stencils, which were faster and allowed sharper images. One of his best-known early works, The Mild Mild West (1999), shows a teddy bear throwing a Molotov cocktail at riot police in Stokes Croft. See Bristol graffiti.

What are Banksy's most famous works?

• Girl with Balloon: a girl reaching for a heart-shaped balloon, first painted in London in the early 2000s. It topped a 2017 poll of UK arts writers' favourite artworks.
• Kissing Coppers (2004): two policemen kissing, on the wall of the Prince Albert pub in Brighton. The original was removed in 2008 and sold in 2014; a replica stands in its place.
• Well Hung Lover (2006): a naked man hanging from a window ledge on Frogmore Street, Bristol.
• Works in the West Bank, including on the separation wall, and the Walled Off Hotel in Bethlehem, which opened in March 2017.

What were Banksy's major shows and stunts?

Crude Oils (2005)

His first official London gallery show, which included 164 live rats.

The Cans Festival (2008)

Turned the Leake Street tunnel under Waterloo station into a public gallery over 3 to 5 May 2008. See London graffiti.

Banksy versus Bristol Museum (2009)

Took over Bristol Museum and Art Gallery from 13 June to 31 August 2009, for a reported fee of £1. About 300,000 people visited.

Exit Through the Gift Shop (2010)

His film about street art and the art market, nominated for the Academy Award for best documentary.

Dismaland (2015)

A dark parody of a theme park in a disused lido at Weston-super-Mare, with work by 58 artists. It ran from 21 August to 27 September 2015 and drew about 150,000 visitors.

The shredding (2018)

On 5 October 2018, moments after Girl with Balloon sold at Sotheby's London for £1,042,000, a shredder hidden in the frame shredded half of it. The new work was renamed Love is in the Bin.

How much is a Banksy worth?

Banksy's auction record is £18,582,000, paid for Love is in the Bin at Sotheby's London on 14 October 2021, against an estimate of £4 million to £6 million. In March 2021 his painting Game Changer, a tribute to NHS workers, sold for £16,758,000 at Christie's, with the proceeds going to NHS charities. Prints and smaller works sell for far less, and the market is full of fakes, so always check authentication.

What has Banksy made recently?

• London animals (August 2024): nine works in nine days, from a goat in Richmond to a gorilla at London Zoo. One was stolen, others were removed, and the piranhas piece was acquired by the Museum of London.
• Royal Courts of Justice (September 2025): a mural of a judge beating a protester with a gavel appeared on a court building. It was covered within hours and later removed; the Ministry of Justice reportedly spent £85,300 on removal and security.
• Stargazing children (December 2025): a mural of two children pointing at the sky in Bayswater, west London, confirmed by Banksy on Instagram.
• Pall Mall statue (April 2026): a statue of a suited man striding off a plinth, blinded by the flag he carries, installed overnight in Waterloo Place, central London, and confirmed by Banksy on 30 April 2026.

Why does Banksy matter?

Banksy changed how the public sees graffiti. He made street art popular, funny and political, raised money for causes from refugees to the NHS, and turned the art market's appetite for his work into part of the joke. Critics argue he has made illegal art respectable and commercial; supporters say he has brought art to people who never visit galleries. Either way, he is the best-known British artist of his generation.

Where to go next

Read about his feud in Banksy vs King Robbo, or find his remaining works through the best UK cities for street art.