Banksy let his first name slip in a two-decade old interview which has now resurfaced.
There has long been speculation about the identity of the anonymous artist, with competing theories ranging from him being a band member to a kid’s TV presenter.
A newly resurfaced BBC interview with the street artist includes audio of Banky stating that his first name is “Robbie”.
In a recording from 2003 reporter Nigel Wrench asks the artist if he is called “Robert Banks”, to which he replies: “It’s Robbie.”
Mr Wrench worked as an arts correspondent for the BBC in the 2000s, and has in his private collection a mini-disk of a full recording with Banksy, which was aired on BBC radio in an edited version.
It was recorded ahead of a Banksy show called Turf War, his first major exhibition, in which he can be heard explaining his approach to graffiti with a hint of West Country accent.
In an early hint at his future anonymity, he states that he will not be present at the opening of his show, saying: “If people never know who you are, then you’re a character aren’t you, you can mean different things to different people.”
Mr Wrench said that not everyone believes that he has in fact interviewed the real Banksy, and has admitted he does not remember what he looked like after 20 years.
He said: “He was a young bloke in a hoodie. It may be part of his success that people don’t remember what he looks like.”
Despite his reputation for making satirical and political statements through his art, in the 20-year-old interview the individual said to be the real Banksy states: “I don’t really consider myself to be that political. I drink a lot of beer and smoke cigarettes.”
He added: “But if you think about anything about your life than longer than a second then you have to work out that the shoes you wear are made by someone on a pathetic amount of money, the coffee you drink means somebody somewhere in the world is getting done over.”
The street artist admits that street art is illegal, but says that it is his “right to paint it” and “somebody else’s right to paint over it”.