UK artist Neil Buchanan has been forced to release a statement this week, confirming that he's definitely not anonymous street artist Banksy.
Banksy's carefully guarded anonymity has been the subject of many a theory over the years.
But with another potential identity effectively ruled out, will we ever know who he (or she) really is?
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So who is Neil Buchanan?
Well, he's apparently not Banksy.
Neil Buchanan is an artist and was formerly the host of popular UK children's TV show Art Attack.
His website says he's also an ambassador for the Prince's Foundation for Children and the Arts, and even the Queen is a fan of his work.
His team released a statement denying that Buchanan was Banksy, after being "inundated with enquiries."
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"Neil Buchanan is NOT Banksy," the statement read.
"We can confirm that there is no truth in the rumour whatsoever.
"Neil spent lockdown with vulnerable members of his family and is now preparing to launch his new art collection in 2021."
Why was he singled out?
The theory gained traction on social media over the weekend.
Fans were quick to get on board, even after Buchanan released the statement dispelling the rumours.
Some saw some merit in the theory because of Buchanan's links to art and parallels between Buchanan and Banksy's connections to the music scene, but others just clung to the idea because... 2020.
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Who else do people think Banksy could be?
The Neil Buchanan theory certainly isn't the first guess people have made as to who Banksy really is.
One of the most popular theories has been that Banksy is in fact Robin Gunningham from Bristol.
People took this one pretty seriously, with British researchers going so far as to research Gunningham's links to Banksy artworks using geographic profiling in 2016.
Banksy's representatives didn't confirm the findings.
Another British artist, Robert Del Naja, is another suspect fans and critics have considered.
The founding member of trip hop group Massive Attack has been involved in the street art scene since the 1990s, even sharing a similar art style to Banksy in some pieces.
According to the Independent, Del Naja and Banksy claim to be friends — and therefore not the same person.
A video uploaded to YouTube in 2016 claimed to have caught Banksy in the spray-painting act in Melbourne, around the time of an exhibition opening exhibiting his work.
The Sydney Morning Herald reported that the video was sent to a number of Australian news outlets, but the exhibition's promoter said they weren't involved and didn't know who the mystery spray-painter was.
How are Banksy's works verified?
If no-one knows who Banksy is, how does anyone know if a painting is a real Banksy?
He does communicate with a select few friends and close associates, and has a handling service called Pest Control acting on his behalf.
The Pest Control website claims to be the sole point of sale for Banksy artworks.
Images can be submitted for verification, and if it is legit, a certificate of authentication can be supplied for a fee.
"We answer enquiries and determine whether he was responsible for making a certain piece of artwork and issue paperwork if this is the case," the website says.
"This process does not make a profit and has been set up to prevent innocent people from becoming victims of fraud.
"Please be aware that because many Banksy pieces are created in an advanced state of intoxication the authentication process can be lengthy and challenging.
"Pest Control deals only with legitimate works of art and has no involvement with any kind of illegal activity."
Banksy also has a verified Instagram account, where he shares pictures and videos with more than 10 million followers, and a website displaying selected creations.
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Will we ever know Banksy's identity?
Banksy is one of the best-known contemporary artists on the planet, yet, even in the age of social media and CCTV, no-one has managed to confirm his identity.
The BBC reports that Banksy may have initially wanted to stay anonymous because graffiti and street art can be a criminal offence.
But he's known for being unpredictable — his self-shredding artwork which sold for more than $1.8 million at auction before suddenly cutting itself into strips is one example.
So maybe Banksy does have a big reveal up his — or her — sleeve.
In the meantime, his works will continue to sell for millions of dollars.
Perhaps the final word should go to the artist.
In 2007 he posted an image on his website of a packed auction room bidding on a framed painting.
The words on the canvas were:
https://news.google.com/__i/rss/rd/articles/CBMicGh0dHBzOi8vd3d3LmFiYy5uZXQuYXUvbmV3cy8yMDIwLTA5LTA4L2FydC1hdHRhY2staG9zdC1uZWlsLWJ1Y2hhbmFuLWZvcmNlZC10by1jb25maXJtLWhlLWlzLW5vdC1iYW5rc3kvMTI2Mzk1MjbSASdodHRwczovL2FtcC5hYmMubmV0LmF1L2FydGljbGUvMTI2Mzk1MjY?oc=5
2020-09-08 03:38:00Z
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