A fifth mural by the elusive artist Banksy has been discovered in as many days, breaking his usual pattern of leaving months between pieces.
The latest work, a silhouette of two pelicans with one consuming a fish, was spotted above a fish and chip shop in Walthamstow, northeast London today (August 9). This comes just a day after Bristol-born Banksy confirmed a painting of a howling wolf on a satellite dish in Peckham as his own.
The wolf mural was stolen mere hours after its confirmation via the artist's Instagram, a method that has become his signature style of verification. The Pye Lane piece is the most recent in a series of animal-themed paintings from the artist over the past week.
Other works include an ibex goat above a CCTV camera in west London, two elephants greeting each other on bricked up windows in Chelsea, and three monkeys swinging from a train bridge.
The satellite dish isn't the only Banksy artwork in London to have been removed. In December, a stop sign featuring three military drones was taken down in Peckham, leading to the arrest of two individuals.
Banksy, who first became active in the 1990s, is renowned for his satirical graffiti, distinctive stencilling technique, and dark humour. Despite his fame, his true identity remains unknown. So, here's everything we know about the enigmatic street artist:.
Who is Banksy?
Bristol, the birthplace of the elusive street artist Banksy, boasts a collection of his early works, with 12 pieces still visible across the city. Among them is 'Mild Mild West', depicting a teddy bear lobbing a Molotov co*cktail at riot police, interpreted as a commentary on the crackdown on "illegal raves" in the 1990s.
The identity of Banksy has long been shrouded in mystery, but rumours persistently suggest former Bristol Cathedral School pupil Robin Gunningham is the man behind the moniker, as reported by The Sun.
In March, a man resembling Gunningham was seen near a new Banksy piece in Finnsbury Park, but he dismissed claims of being the artist, stating his son owned the building instead.
The geographical spread of Banksy's art seems to trace the locations associated with Gunningham's life, a theory supported by Queen Mary University of London researchers using geo-profiling techniques.
Biologist Steve Le Comber from Queen Mary University told the BBC: "I'd be surprised if it's not (Gunningham), even without our analysis, but it's interesting that the analysis offers additional support for it. What I thought I would do is pull out the 10 most likely suspects, evaluate all of them and not name any."
"But it rapidly became apparent that there is only one serious suspect, and everyone knows who it is. If you Google Banksy and Gunningham you get something like 43,500 hits."
Bristol-born musician Robert Del Naja, also known as the main figure of Massive Attack, has been frequently suggested as the true face behind Banksy. In the '90s, Del Naja made a name for himself in the art world as 3D, a prominent graffiti artist, and has long been associated as a friend of Banksy's.
Rumours swirled on social media in 2020 linking former Art Attack presenter Neil Buchanan to Banksy, citing coincidental appearances of Banksy's artwork at locations where Buchanan's band Marseille performed. This led to an outright denial from Buchanan's representatives stating: "Neil Buchanan ISN'T Banksy."
Pembroke Dock councillor Billy Gannon stepped down from his position amid gossip suggesting he might be the mysterious artist. Speaking to The Guardian, Gannon expressed frustration with the rumours saying: "Every time I deny I am Banksy ... a significant number of people in the town [decide] that I am, or could possibly be, Banksy."
What is Banksy's net worth?
As per Celebrity Net Worth estimates, Banksy's wealth hovers around £37.5 million ($50million). It's believed that he accrues income through the sale of his pieces, such as the instantly recognizable Love is in the Bin, which features the partially shredded painting Girl with Balloon. This piece fetched a jaw-dropping £18,582,000 at auction in 2021.
Furthermore, Banksy often collaborates with printmakers for limited edition runs of his work. For instance, a signed print might reach bids of approximately £35,000.
According to reports from Banksy Value, an autographed print of the famous "Girl with Balloon" was expected to command a bid of roughly £256,500 in March while an unsigned print of "Golf Sale" is considered one of the more accessible pieces, presumably selling for about £8,000.
