For decades, the identity of Banksy has been one of the art world’s great unsolved riddles. His stencilled images — a girl reaching for a red balloon, chimps in the House of Commons, riot police with smiley faces — have appeared overnight on walls from Bristol to Bethlehem. They’ve mocked politicians, skewered the art market and, occasionally, sold for tens of millions. But the man behind the mask has always stayed hidden. 

Now a detailed investigation by Reuters claims to finally put a real name to the most famous anonymous artist on the planet. So how did a street artist with a spray can become a global cultural phenomenon? Why did Banksy’s graffiti start getting preserved instead of painted over? And if the mystery really has been solved… does knowing the name change anything? 

Ciara Doherty is joined by broadcaster and producer Eoin Sweeney to talk about the legend of Banksy, the investigation that may have unmasked him, and why the world has been so fascinated by the artist who refused to show his face. 

📖 Read the Reuters investigation here:  

https://www.reuters.com/investigates/special-report/global-art-banksy/