In search of Banksy, Reuters found the artist took on a new identity
For a quarter of a century, the street artist has built a brand around anonymity. Considered one of the world’s best known and most popular living artists, his identity has been debated — and closely guarded — for decades. Until now. By Simon Gardner, James Pearson and Blake Morrison Filed March 13, 2026, 10 a.m. GMT A REUTERS INVESTIGATION IN SEARCH OF BANKSY The British street artist’s identity has been debated, and closely guarded, for decades. A quest to solve the riddle took Reuters from a bombed-out Ukrainian village to London and downtown Manhattan — and uncovered much more than a name. BY SIMON GARDNER, JAMES PEARSON AND BLAKE MORRISON Filed March 13, 2026, 10 a.m. GMT This Banksy mural of a man scrubbing his back in a bathtub appeared in 2022 on a wall of a destroyed building in the Ukrainian village of Horenka. The mural piqued the interest of a Reuters journalist, setting off an effort to identify and understand the elusive artist. REUTERS/Gleb Garanich CHAPTER 1 AN INITIAL
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