The mysterious identity of Banksy could be no more as a new Twitter conspiracy links Art Attack‘s Neil Buchanan to the elusive artist, and TBH, it kinda adds up.
Banksy is the anonymous street artist behind some of the most ballsy art installations of our time. Think: the 1.4 million dollar painting which self-destructed upon auction or his street-art parody of the Dutch Golden Age painting the Girl With a Pearl Earring, which itself became the subject of a meta-parody. With such a renowned platform, it’s pretty incredible that the identity of Banksy has stayed a mystery for so long.
But now, the jig could be up for the ever-elusive artist as Twitter has theorised that perhaps the mysterious figure behind Banksy could be none other than Art Attack’s Neil Buchanan. How did they get to this conclusion, you may ask? Let’s get into it.
To prove that Neil Buchanan is Banksy’s true identity, Twitter has done a deep dive into the REAL Neil, and what we know about Banksy and Neil kinda adds up.
Turns out, when Neil isn’t making mad art from kitchen sponges or marbles or whatever else, apparently, he is a muso. Why bring this up? Well, according to the very reliable Twitter source @ScouseMan_, the towns that Buchanan has played in over the years have also served as canvases for Banksy pieces. Coincidence?
Just heard that it’s rumoured Neil Buchanan is Banksy. If true, it’s the funniest shit ever. Aintree’s finest.
He’s a musician and art has followed in the cities of shows he’s done allegedly.
This is straight in the believe without question category . pic.twitter.com/LWU48wGekR
— Scouseman (@ScouseMan_) September 4, 2020
While the ties linking the two began as loose threads, it turns out that a stone’s throw from where Neil’s band performed in Sauchiehall St, Glasgow, is home to some quintessential Banksy works.
Another Twitter user hopped on the bandwagon, noting the similarities in art styles, tweeting: “Interesting…Neil Buchanan WAS known for his big outdoor pieces utilising multimedia props and items to craft uncanny replicas.”
Interesting…Neil Buchanan WAS known for his big outdoor pieces utilising multimedia props and items to craft uncanny replicas
(and then sometimes getting chased down by a perturbed member of authority who he supposedly “borrowed” the materials from) pic.twitter.com/YiW9BnAL2F
— The Bonsai Treehouse (@BonsaiTreehouse) September 5, 2020
One respondent claimed to have once seen the Banksy carrying out some of his guerrilla art, tweeting: “In the late nineties/early noughties, someone pointed Banksy out to me at the Notting Hill Arts Club. I also saw him doing a stencil outside my flat in Hoxton at around the same time (hood up).” He went onto unhelpfully add: “Could I pick him out of a line-up? Absolutely not.”
One super sleuth connected the dots, tweeting to the Banksy witness what we are all thinking: “So you wouldn’t deny that it’s Neil even though you’ve seen Banksy?? This is big.”
Twitter agrees that this could be the news to revive 2020:
I’m not sure I’ve ever wanted something to be true more than Neil from Art Attack being Banksy
— Theo 🃏 (@TCHD_) September 6, 2020
lol apparently this lad from art attack is bansky im screaming pic.twitter.com/byomb8vPMr
— georgia-anäis (@georgiaanais_) September 7, 2020
Just read this theory somewhere that Neil Buchanan (from Art Attack), is in fact Banksy and honestly, this is the only thing I am choosing to believe for the rest 2020.
— Daniel Marot (@daniel_marot) September 6, 2020
Art attack man is Bansky, this is the potential twist I need for this year
— Nathan Lightowler (@EpicNathanTime) September 6, 2020
But if not Neil Buchanan, who? Perhaps Banksy is not the Art Attack presenter, but something on the same trail… I’ll see your Neil Buchanan from Art Attack and raise you, Mister Maker.
I mean – who even says Banksy is a dude anyway? It could just as easily be Justine from Play School.
But in all seriousness, I put my hat in the ring for Banksy being Mister Maker. I mean…have we ever seen the two in the same room?
I’ve seen so many rumours flying around that #Banksy‘s identity is actually Art Attack’s Neil Buchanan but unfortunatly I can confirm that Banksy is just Mister Maker’s alter-ego when he’s on cocaine. pic.twitter.com/0OFtfcrHAA
— Gregor (@TheManofOrange) September 6, 2020
More to come.
