Banksy to stage first solo exhibition in 14 years in Glasgow, who is he & which celebrities own his works?

If you live in Glasgow or happen to be in the city next week, you might want to head to their Gallery of Modern Art as Banksy’s first solo exhibition for 14 years will be there. The show, which is called CUT & RUN: 25 years card labour, will showcase work throughout his career.

According to the BBC, “Banksy has used original stencils to create versions of many of his famous works, including Kissing Coppers which first appeared on a wall of the Prince Albert pub in Brighton in 2004. Also featured will be Mobile Lovers, from Bristol in 2014, which features a hugging couple who are both looking at their screen over the other’s shoulder.”

For those of you who live in London, The Art of Banksy is returning to the city from 13 September 2023, and will open in London’s Regent Street. On display will be 100 pieces, including prints and some of his unique works will be on show for the very first time.

Over the years, there has been much speculation over who is Banksy? In 2022 The Artsper magazine speculated over some of the theories regarding Banksy’s identity. The Artsper said that one of the most probable theories over who Banksy is that he “could be Robin Gunningham, a native and current resident of Bristol. Born in this English city in 1973, he moved to London in the 2000s, which coincides with Banksy’s career path. Even if, once again, no proof is irrefutable, this theory is the most likely regarding the identity of the graffiti artist.”

As one would expect, Banksy’s works have been keenly sought by A-list celebrities over the years. According to Yield Gallery, “Brad (Pitt) and Angelina (Jolie) are perhaps the most famous fans of Banksy, having paid £1 million for a collection of his works at a London auction in 2007.” It would be interesting to know now who is in possession of it following their split. 

It is not only movie stars who love Banksy, but supermodels too. According to reports, Banksy decorated the bathroom of Kate Moss in 2011, and this resulted in a piece that was said to have been valued at £200,000 at the time. 

American pop star Christina Aguilera reportedly paid the bargain price of £25,000 for three Banksy pieces back in 2009. In 2013, Drake showed simply the corner of an unknown piece signed, ‘Banksy ‘04’ on his Instagram. Yield Gallery said that “The latters ‘A/P’ meaning ‘artist’s proof’ were also shown, so it could have been an early print or simply a test of some kind.”

Coldplay’s Chris Martin is believed to have outbid the likes of Kevin Bacon and Bette Midler in 2014 when he paid out £400,000 for a Banksy painting that was of a heart-shaped balloon covered with plasters. He managed to get hold of the painting at a fundraiser for victims of the Haiti earthquake.

Justin Bieber has shown his love for Banksy by getting a tattoo that mimicked Banksy’s Balloon Girl painting in 2014. According to reports, Bansky responded to Bieber’s tattoo by simply saying, “Controversial.”

Banksy's works are on display at Glasgow's Gallery of Modern Art from June 18 to August 28