‘I swear I’m not Banksy’ Angry builder refutes allegations he is millionaire artist

A builder wrongly painted as the elusive graffiti artist Banksy has hit out at social media users.

Robin Gunningham’s identity was thought to have been exposed after retired builder George Georgiou, then 67, found himself at the center of a Banksy identification storm.

In March 2024, George was pictured helping to install Perspex to protect the artist’s tree mural in Hornsey Road in Finsbury Park, London.

Londoners thought he bore a striking resemblance to Gunningham, with one person posting on X, ‘I found Banksy first’.

George Georgiou rubbished the claims, saying he didn’t have an artistic bone in his body and that his son owns the building on which the tree was painted, so he was helping to protect it.

He told people sharing his photo: ‘Grow up. Get a life. If Banksy were to be found, he wouldn’t be standing there. 

‘I’m sure he is well enough endowed not to have to go there doing building work. He runs in, does what he does and then sods off and disappears. That’s why no one knows who he is.’

Asked if he also sees the similarities between him and the 2008 picture of Banksy, he told the Daily Mail: ‘Not really! The only nice thing is that they think I look like I’m 51.’ 

In an effort to prove he is not Banksy he showed photos from Greek family events sayinh he was born and raised in London.

Mr Georgiou joked that he wishes he were Banksy, quipping: ‘Then no one would know who the f*** I am. Unfortunately, they found me.’

He explained: ‘When it first happened, there was less reaction than there is now.

‘It’s just the day-to-day, every five minutes you pick up the bloody phone and it’s just someone having a giggle. 

‘That’s all it is. It’s all harmless stuff, but when you’re trying to get on with your life, it’s just really annoying. It’s just a pain in the butt.’

Celebrities, including Massive Attack’s Robert Del Naja, Gorillaz founder Jamie Hewlett and even Art Attack host Neil Buchanan, have all been accused of being the real Banksy.

However, there is one name that has been brought to attention once again, suggesting he is the real identity behind the world’s most secretive figures.

Who does the new investigation claim Banksy is?

Former ‘public schoolboy’ Robin Gunningham has been thrown into the spotlight again following fresh allegations he was the man New York police arrested in 2000 after reports someone had defaced a billboard on Hudson Street.

Reuters launched a new investigation to track down Banksy’s true identity after his well-known stencil artwork was found on a building in Ukraine, prompting the outlet to find out how he was able to travel to the country to create his art.

One key piece of information suggests Gunningham is the true identity behind Bansky.

In September 2000, New York Police Department arrested a man after he defaced a billboard atop a building on 675 Hudson Street, New York City.

Police documents show a handwritten note confessing to the incident, signed by Gunningham.

However, the name itself has long been speculated, after the report claimed Gunningham may have changed his legal name to David Jones in 2008.

Those claims appear to be backed by Banksy’s former manager, Stephen Lazarides, who said he ‘killed’ Gunningham’s name years ago.

‘There is no Robin Gunningham,’ he said when asked about the artist’s identity.