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Reuters Links Banksy to Robin Gunningham as Christie’s Tests Market

Christie’s online sale now under way serves as the first read on buyer appetite.

Overview

  • Reuters reported it identified Banksy as Robin Gunningham, citing a 2000 New York police report and related court records tied to a graffiti arrest.
  • The investigation also referenced travel records indicating a David Jones with Gunningham’s birth date was in Ukraine in 2022 when new Banksy murals appeared there.
  • Banksy’s lawyer told Reuters the artist disputes many reported details and maintains anonymity for safety and expressive freedom.
  • The same identification was advanced earlier by the Mail on Sunday in 2008 and by a 2016 Queen Mary University geolocation study.
  • Market watchers point to a peak of about $171.3 million in 2021 auction sales and a drop to roughly $13.3 million in 2025, while Christie’s current online sale of nine works, including a Kate Moss print estimated at $93,000–$132,000, offers an immediate gauge of demand.