Artist Banksy may be forced to reveal his real name amid a legal dispute over the authenticity of one of his most famous works, Monkey Queen.
Two art collectors, Nicky Katz and Ray House, have filed a lawsuit against the artist's company, Pest Control, because it has been unable to confirm the authenticity of the Monkey Queen work for three years. It is stated that this violates the agreement between the parties.
Katz and House say they have been unable to get confirmation from Pest Control that Monkey Queen is one of Banksy's 150 genuine works. They bought the work for £30,000 in 2020 from the heirs of a Banksy art collector, but have not received documents proving its provenance.
Certification of authenticity plays an important role in determining the value of Banksy's works. The lack of a certificate can reduce their price.
Graffiti dealer John Brandler criticized the difficulty of obtaining certification through Pest Control. He believes that the artist manipulates the market, certifying only those works that he wishes to sell to selected persons.
Brandler also noted a significant decline in prices for Banksy's works over the past three years. He pointed to the example of the Police Car painting, which used to sell for £1.5m-£2m, but last year it was sold in Paris for a much smaller sum of €300,000.
In response to criticism, a Pest Control spokesperson said their authentication process is detailed and thorough, although it can be lengthy.
Banksy's real name remains a mystery to the media and the public. Disclosure of the name may affect the value of his works. However, there have been various speculations as to who the street artist might be, including Massive Attack's Robert Del Nay and Gorillaz's Jamie Gullette. In 2008, the Daily Mail mentioned the name of Robin Hunningham, but the artist himself denied it. A 2003 BBC interview in which Banksy introduced himself as Robbie was also found.
Last year, Banksy visited Ukraine, where he painted a series of graffiti in cities affected by the war started by Russia. He created drawings in Borodyanka, Irpen and Kyiv on Independence Square.
