Street artist Banksy reveals first name in lost 2003 BBC interview
Banksy has been unearthed in which the mysterious street artist has revealed his first name. In a 2003 interview with BBC reporter Nigel Wrench, the artist said his first name was «Robbie” when he was asked if his real name was “Robert Banks”.
The artists first name has been a subject of interest online, with people suggesting variations of Robin, Robert and Robbie.
Banksy draws a unique analogy by likening his art approach, characterized by creating graffiti incognito at a rapid pace, to the process of microwaving meals.
»It's quick," the Bristol-based artist said, while adding: «I want to get it done and dusted.»
Banksy's true identity remains shrouded in mystery, but this unearthed interview provides a rare opportunity for his extensive fanbase, which includes numerous A-list celebrities, to hear his voice.
Conducted by Wrench, a former BBC arts correspondent, the interview took place during the summer of 2003 when Banksy, then in his 20s, was showcasing his Turf War exhibition in east London.
While an edited version was broadcast on the BBC's PM programme in July of that year, not all of the content made it to air.
Several years later, Wrench, prompted by The Banksy Story podcast, rediscovered the full interview recorded on a minidisc in his home. Among the previously unheard segments is Banksy's defense of vandalism as a form of art.
«I'm not here to apologise for it,» the artist said in the interview with Wrench.
«It's a quicker way of making your point, right?
»In the same way my mother used to cook Sunday roast every Sunday and says every Sunday, 'it takes hours to make it, minutes to eat'."
«And these days she eats microwave meals for one and seems a lot happier. I'm kind of taking that approach to art
