Banksy, the most famous street artist in the world, will finally be able to have a face and a name after a career entirely based on mystery.
As reported by the British newspaper of Daily Mail, in fact, the mind behind the iconic Little girl with balloon was summoned to court to answer an accusation of defamation and will therefore be forced to report to London, with his face uncovered.
He is the one accusing him Andrew Gallagher, a fifty-six year old entrepreneur particularly involved in the world of graffiti and street art, and the representative of the Pest Control LTD, the “pest control company” founded by Banksy to sell his works of art.
It is not the first time, however, that the artist's identity has become public information: according to the Daily Mail, in 2008 Banksy's identity matched that of Robin Gunningham, fifty-three years old from Bristol, but the street artist had denied what the tabloid claimed; a photo of Gunningham had, in any case, gone viral, so much so that it became representative of the artist.
The fascination surrounding the figure of Banksy derives directly from his fame: he is, after all, the mind behind creations that have shaken world culture and which have gained the favor of celebrities loved all over the globe, such as Angelina Jolie, Brad Pitt e George Michael.
Only the hearing, in any case, will be able to put an end to this decades-old mystery.