A Banksy expert has shared his amused reaction to a viral video claiming he is in fact the elusive Bristol street artist. Paul Gough, a former UWE vice-chancellor, recorded his reaction to a viral video drawing parallels between himself and the mystery artist.
The conspiracy theory that Paul Gough is Banksy has been spreading on the Arts University Bournemouth (AUB) campus, where he is now the vice chancellor, for some time - and has now made it onto social media including TikTok. However, he has laughed off the claim and shared his own thoughts on who Banksy is.
He even said that people shouldn't assume Banksy is a man, despite that being one of the few widely accepted attributes of the artist's identity, nor assume that Banksy is one person. He said his interest has always been in the art itself rather than the artist.
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A representative for the university said: "We are not aware of where the theory first originated, but it had been circulating for quite a while prior to release over social media. We have not seen any evidence of the theory shared online before.
"Reactions have been very interesting, especially as others have joined in on the theory, sharing extra details and observations about Vice-Chancellor Professor Paul Gough and his connection to Banksy. Some of these being entirely new points and suggestions."
Banksy became known in Bristol in the late 1990s, with his name first appearing on the railway bridge over the M32 and on railings on the Eastville roundabout next to the M32. He moved to London in the early 2000s and became world-famous and is understood to have returned to the West Country before lockdown.
The artist's identity has been kept secret for decades, but that hasn't stopped rumours from surfacing with theories of varying credibility. Just last month, a councillor in Wales resigned after becoming fed up of people thinking he, too, was Banksy.
The new video outlines Gough's comings and goings across the world and how his travels have uncannily been similar to where Banky's murals have cropped up, although he says in the video that this is "coincidence". Gough, who has a master's degree in fine art, is also suggested to have the skills to pull off Banksy's work.
The video shows Gough agreeing to almost every single point made and laughing along with everything in the video. Paul said: "I'm over 60, and I was born in Plymouth, though I moved around all over UK and Europe, as I grew up in a military family.
"My current book on Banksy looks at the artist and the art, rather than the anonymous and notorious Robin Hood prankster, who tends to dominate the headlines. It’s easy to become fascinated by the anonymity of the artist.
"But my interest has always been in the art itself. The way the images mix a memorable design with immediate and meaningful messages.
"It’s tempting to consider Banksy as a man, but it could just as easily be a woman, a non-binary individual, or a group of people who wilfully protect each other’s identity.
"I’m always struck by how many people respond to the topic of Banksy. It certainly strikes a chord."
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