Banksy lets their art do the talking — mainly because we don’t have official confirmation of who exactly Banksy is. What we do know is that the secretive artist uses the world as their canvas — and instantly creates an Instagramable hot spot the second their paint dries.
Looking for Banksy around the UK and Paris? We’ll help you find their artwork and offer a few rumors about who the real artist is.
Image Credit: Getty Images, guycarpenterphoto. Image Location: Leake Street Tunnel, London, England
Where can I see Banksy in London?
London is home to many Banksy murals — maybe even Banksy, too! Here are a few to put on your Banksy map of London that you can access via the Underground or Overground.
- The Royal Family | Closest station: Stoke Newington
- Falling Shopper | Closest stations: Green Park, Piccadilly Circus
- Cash Machine | Closest station: Farringdon
- My Tap’s Been Phoned | Closest station: Langdon Park
- Tesco Kids | Closest station: Essex Road
- The Painter | Closest stations: Ladbroke Grove, Westbourne Park
- Always Fail | Closest station: Farringdon
- You Lose | Closest station: Blackfriars
- Finsbury Park Tree | Closest station: Crouch Hill (Overground Line)
🚆Trainline Tip: Make sure you check out the Banksy Graffiti Tunnel in London (closest station: London Waterloo) where graffiti is legal and protected. The vibrant Leake Street road tunnel is a great stop on any self-guided Banksy tour of London.
Where can I see Banksy in Bristol?
In Banksy’s (alleged) hometown, his art inspires walls and walls of graffiti. Use our mini Banksy Bristol map to take your own self-guided Banksy tour of Bristol:
- Angel Bust in the Bristol Museum & Art Gallery | Closest station: Clifton Down
- Well Hung Lover near Bristol City Council | Closest station: Bristol Temple Meads
- The Girl With Pearl Earring near Bristol Marina | Closest station: Bristol Temple Meads
- The Mild Mild West near Bristol Shopping Quarter | Closest station: Montpelier
- Rose on a Mousetrap near Bristol Shopping Quarter | Closest station: Redland
- You Don’t Need Planning Permission to Build Castles in the Sky near Bristol Cathedral | Closest station: Bristol Temple Meads
Where can I see Banksy in the UK?
Apart from taking a London Banksy tour and a Bristol Banksy tour, take the train on your own Banksy tour to the graffiti found in these UK cities:
- Create Escape | Closest station: Reading
- Tesco Sandcastles | Closest station: Hastings
- Bench Sleigh | Closest station: Jewellery Quarter (Birmingham)
- Kissing Coppers | Closest station: Brighton
- Art Buff | Closest station: Folkestone Central
Image Credit: Getty Images, RICOWde. Image Location: Paris, France
Where can I see Banksy in Paris?
Many Banksy murals no longer exist in the French capital, but you can still see a handful of them when taking the Paris metro.
- Champagne Rat at Chez Marianne | Closest station: Saint-Paul
- The Red Horseman | Closest stations: Riquet | Crimee
- Rat with Mickey Mouse Ears | Closest station: Maubert-Mutualite
- Businessman and Dog | Closest station: Luxembourg (RER)
- Champagne Rat at Rue de Mont Cenis | Closest station: Jules Joffrin
Now, let’s join in on the speculation on who Banksy (probably) is:
Who is Banksy?
“Banksy” is a street artist, political activist, and director. Who Banksy is isn’t as important as what his work stands for. Their insistence of anonymity lets their artwork — and those who interpret it — stand in the limelight.
What is Banksy's real identity?
“Banksy” is a pseudonym and it’s not yet confirmed who the real Banksy is. In this game of Guess Who?, all clues point to Banksy being Robin “Robbie” Gunningham. Robin Gunningham was suspected after a former classmate outed him in an interview; Queen Mary University scientists also later found a pattern tracing the geological locations of Banksy artwork to places that Robin Gunningham would frequent.
Does Banksy have a wife?
If Banksy is the actual Robbie Gunningham, the chief suspect on the list, then Banksy’s wife must be Joy Millward. Ms. Millward is a former Labour Parliamentary lobbyist. If true, it supports the claim that Banksy now lives in London.
How is Banksy still anonymous?
Integrity — that’s how Banksy is still anonymous. Yes, they keep a low profile and cover themselves during the few times they’re in the public eye; but Banksy also remains anonymous because the people who know who the artist is won't expose them for the sake of a tabloid headline.
Image Credit: Getty Images, James Osmond. Image Location: Bristol, England
Does Banksy still live in Bristol?
Should the unconfirmed rumors of Banksy’s identity be correct, it seems that Banksy was indeed Bristol-born but no longer resides in the city. Reports say the man many claim to be Banksy now lives in London. Not a bad place to stay anonymous; Jack the Ripper has been basking in anonymity since the 1880s.
What city does Banksy live in?
It’s said that Banksy currently lives in London. But then again, until Banksy not only provides us with their full legal name and address, we won’t know for sure. Or — and hopefully this isn’t the case — one of the few people who know or have worked with them will have to spill the beans in a deeply incriminating way.
What is the highest-selling Banksy painting?
Banksy’s highest-selling painting sold at £18.6 million in 2021. That’s around $23.3 million — and it technically isn’t the original “full” painting. Love is in the Bin is the title of the work, but wasn’t actually its own piece. When Banksy’s Girl with Balloon canvas was sold in London, it triggered a self-destruct feature. The canvas was half shredded, cutting through the little girl and leaving only the heart untouched.
What is Banksy's most famous piece of work?
The Girl with Balloon/Love is in the Bin is Banksy’s most famous piece of work. Not only is the Girl with Balloon image itself representative of Banksy’s image, but its immediate self-shredding after an auction sale was emblematic of the artist’s creativity and wit. The Falling Shopper mural in London is another famous Banksy, mainly because its high presence up on a building wall in Mayfair keeps it beautifully preserved.
What is the biggest Banksy collection?
The biggest Banksy collection in the world is at The Art of Banksy in London. The new Banksy London attraction is currently in Soho until 2025. It’s not authorized or endorsed by Banksy, and we’ll go out on a limb and say Banksy would rather you view their free public art, instead. We reckon that the most Banksy art locations are in the UK, found across cities like London and Bristol where the artist reportedly lives.
Does Banksy have art in museums?
No, Banksy doesn’t have much artwork in museums — at least by choice. Museum Banksy - The World of Banksy immersive exhibitions that pop up around the globe aren’t typically endorsed or produced by Banksy. Banksy does have a sculpture in Bristol Museum, and has independently (and illegally) placed his art in museums like the Louvre, The British Museum, and the New York Metropolitan Museum. Typically, Banksy wants their art to be free and open to the public.
Is there a Banksy in the Bristol Museum?
Yes, there are two Banksys in the Bristol Museum. The first is the Angel Bust, a statue of an angel with a paint can over its head. The second is a sculpture of Jerusalem. Technically, it was created by the sculptor Tawfiq Salsaa, modified by Banksy, then gifted to the Bristol Museum.
Where is the best place to do graffiti in Bristol?
The hooligan in us says any blank patch of wall will suffice; but unsanctioned artwork in public spaces isn’t exactly legal. Instead, there are places in Bristol called legal painting areas. Dean Lake Skate Park is a legal painting area and one of the best places to do graffiti in Bristol.
Header Image Credit: Getty Images, Tim Robberts. Image Location: United Kingdom
