There have been several attempts to unmask the artist behind the pseudonym Banksy ever since his work first started appearing in the UK in the 1990s. AFP
There have been several attempts to unmask the artist behind the pseudonym Banksy ever since his work first started appearing in the UK in the 1990s. AFP
There have been several attempts to unmask the artist behind the pseudonym Banksy ever since his work first started appearing in the UK in the 1990s. AFP
There have been several attempts to unmask the artist behind the pseudonym Banksy ever since his work first started appearing in the UK in the 1990s. AFP

Call off the hunt for Banksy: Why we need to stop trying to unmask the graffiti artist


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What does the enduring appeal of Sherlock Holmes, the smash hit success of Only Murders in the Building and the timeless debate over the Loch Ness Monster tell us?

That we really love a good mystery.

Whether it’s settling down with an Agatha Christie novel, puzzling over the Netflix whodunit Knives Out, or loudly declaring that it was Colonel Mustard in the library with the candlestick during a game of Clue, humans enjoy (and are really good at) solving things.

But what if we’re too good? What if sometimes we’re too inquisitive?

I say this because Banksy is back in the news.

The street artist, whose politically motivated works inspire dinner table debate and make global headlines, has apparently been unmasked in an unearthed BBC interview, in which he appears to confirm his name.

Banksy's Dove Mural in Bethlehem. Getty Images
Banksy's Dove Mural in Bethlehem. Getty Images

I’m not going to say it here because a quick Google search will find it easily enough. But before you start typing “Banksy real name” into the search engine, what if you didn’t? What if we let this one mystery endure?

Banksy’s identity has long been the subject of speculation ever since his street art first started to appear in the UK in the 1990s. Emerging from the Bristol graffiti scene, his work stood out for its humour, satire and political commentary and has been found in London, Los Angeles, the West Bank, Ukraine and New York.

He has opened a “Bemusement Park” (Dismaland in UK seaside town Weston-super-Mare), dumped a shopping trolley in Monet’s The Japanese Footbridge and shredded his own art at auction.

He has snuck into Tate Britain disguised as a pensioner, hung his own version of the Mona Lisa at the Louvre Museum in Paris, and installed Woman with Gas Mask at the Metropolitan Museum in New York among other acts of guerilla art-fare.

And he has done all of this without being detected.

His subterfuge takes time and dedication in our CCTV-saturated world. In an age when everyone is a potential detective with a camera phone, he has for decades remained a fuzzy blur on a CCTV monitor, face hidden, hoodie up.

It’s a cat and mouse game in which, importantly, no one gets hurt.

All of which is why I implore: Call off the hunt for Banksy.

Banksy famously shredded his own artwork at a Sotheby's auction in 2018. EPA
Banksy famously shredded his own artwork at a Sotheby's auction in 2018. EPA

His unmasking has become a media obsession, particularly among the UK tabloids, who have long had the crosshairs on their metaphorical hunting rifles set to discovering his true identity.

But why can’t we just enjoy the mystery?

This is not to say that I don’t understand the sense of purpose a good riddle can ignite. I also appreciate the feeling of achievement that comes from solving a tricky puzzle. Mystery titles are the second most profitable book titles on Amazon; we can’t get enough of them and I get it.

By our very nature, humans are driven to find answers. It’s what propelled us out of the caves and onto the sofa with Netflix on the television, iPhone in hand and Deliveroo on the way.

But let us consider some of the greatest mysteries of all time – Big Foot, the Loch Ness Monster, the Bermuda Triangle, El Dorado, Stonehenge, Jack the Ripper and the Mary Celeste.

Why do they capture the imagination of generation after generation? Why do they endure when other mysteries, such as those monoliths that popped up around the world during the pandemic, do not?

Because they’ve never been solved. Not definitively at least. And what’s more, I hope they never are.

I hope some high-tech future generation doesn’t drain Loch Ness simply to find out what’s in it, and I hope they don’t build a time machine to travel back and find out what the druids were really up to on Wiltshire’s Salisbury Plain five thousand-odd years ago.

Four years ago, my middle son took the small Christmas tree from a festive ornament we have and hid it somewhere in the house. To date, we’ve never found it, and every Christmas we talk about where it might be, and where he might have put it.

The stakes aren’t high in this mini mystery of mine, but they’re enduring, fun to puzzle over and truthfully, I don’t really want to solve it.

Because a world without mystery is a very dull place indeed.

The years Ramadan fell in May

1987

1954

1921

1888

The burning issue

The internal combustion engine is facing a watershed moment – major manufacturer Volvo is to stop producing petroleum-powered vehicles by 2021 and countries in Europe, including the UK, have vowed to ban their sale before 2040. The National takes a look at the story of one of the most successful technologies of the last 100 years and how it has impacted life in the UAE. 

Read part four: an affection for classic cars lives on

Read part three: the age of the electric vehicle begins

Read part two: how climate change drove the race for an alternative 

EA Sports FC 26

Publisher: EA Sports

Consoles: PC, PlayStation 4/5, Xbox Series X/S

Rating: 3/5

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Top 10 in the F1 drivers' standings

1. Sebastian Vettel, Ferrari 202 points

2. Lewis Hamilton, Mercedes-GP 188

3. Valtteri Bottas, Mercedes-GP 169

4. Daniel Ricciardo, Red Bull Racing 117

5. Kimi Raikkonen, Ferrari 116

6. Max Verstappen, Red Bull Racing 67

7. Sergio Perez, Force India 56

8. Esteban Ocon, Force India 45

9. Carlos Sainz Jr, Toro Rosso 35

10. Nico Hulkenberg, Renault 26

BIRD%20BOX%20BARCELONA
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EDirectors%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20David%20and%20Alex%20Pastor%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EStars%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EGeorgina%20Campbell%2C%20Mario%20Casas%2C%20Diego%20Calva%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ERating%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%202%2F5%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
The specs: 2017 Lotus Evora Sport 410

Price, base / as tested Dh395,000 / Dh420,000

Engine 3.5L V6

Transmission Six-speed manual

Power 410hp @ 7,000rpm

Torque 420Nm @ 3,500rpm

Fuel economy, combined 9.7L / 100km

Traces%20of%20Enayat
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EAuthor%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Iman%20Mersal%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EPublisher%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20And%20Other%20Stories%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EPages%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20240%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Our family matters legal consultant

Name: Hassan Mohsen Elhais

Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.

War 2

Director: Ayan Mukerji

Stars: Hrithik Roshan, NTR, Kiara Advani, Ashutosh Rana

Rating: 2/5

EMILY%20IN%20PARIS%3A%20SEASON%203
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Crime%20Wave
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FIGHT%20CARD
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EFeatherweight%204%20rounds%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%3Cbr%3EYousuf%20Ali%20(2-0-0)%20(win-loss-draw)%20v%20Alex%20Semugenyi%20(0-1-0)%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EWelterweight%206%20rounds%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%3Cbr%3EBenyamin%20Moradzadeh%20(0-0-0)%20v%20Rohit%20Chaudhary%20(4-0-2)%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EHeavyweight%204%20rounds%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%3Cbr%3EYoussef%20Karrar%20(1-0-0)%20v%20Muhammad%20Muzeei%20(0-0-0)%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EWelterweight%206%20rounds%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%3Cbr%3EMarwan%20Mohamad%20Madboly%20(2-0-0)%20v%20Sheldon%20Schultz%20(4-4-0)%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ESuper%20featherweight%208%20rounds%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%3Cbr%3EBishara%20Sabbar%20(6-0-0)%20v%20Mohammed%20Azahar%20(8-5-1)%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ECruiseweight%208%20rounds%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%3Cbr%3EMohammed%20Bekdash%20(25-0-0)%20v%20Musa%20N%E2%80%99tege%20(8-4-0)%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ESuper%20flyweight%2010%20rounds%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%3Cbr%3ESultan%20Al%20Nuaimi%20(9-0-0)%20v%20Jemsi%20Kibazange%20(18-6-2)%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ELightweight%2010%20rounds%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%3Cbr%3EBader%20Samreen%20(8-0-0)%20v%20Jose%20Paez%20Gonzales%20(16-2-2-)%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Afro%20salons
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MEDIEVIL%20(1998)
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Omar Yabroudi's factfile

Born: October 20, 1989, Sharjah

Education: Bachelor of Science and Football, Liverpool John Moores University

2010: Accrington Stanley FC, internship

2010-2012: Crystal Palace, performance analyst with U-18 academy

2012-2015: Barnet FC, first-team performance analyst/head of recruitment

2015-2017: Nottingham Forest, head of recruitment

2018-present: Crystal Palace, player recruitment manager

 

 

 

 

Cinco in numbers

Dh3.7 million

The estimated cost of Victoria Swarovski’s gem-encrusted Michael Cinco wedding gown

46

The number, in kilograms, that Swarovski’s wedding gown weighed.

1,000

The hours it took to create Cinco’s vermillion petal gown, as seen in his atelier [note, is the one he’s playing with in the corner of a room]

50

How many looks Cinco has created in a new collection to celebrate Ballet Philippines’ 50th birthday

3,000

The hours needed to create the butterfly gown worn by Aishwarya Rai to the 2018 Cannes Film Festival.

1.1 million

The number of followers that Michael Cinco’s Instagram account has garnered.

Winners

Ballon d’Or (Men’s)
Ousmane Dembélé (Paris Saint-Germain / France)

Ballon d’Or Féminin (Women’s)
Aitana Bonmatí (Barcelona / Spain)

Kopa Trophy (Best player under 21 – Men’s)
Lamine Yamal (Barcelona / Spain)

Best Young Women’s Player
Vicky López (Barcelona / Spain)

Yashin Trophy (Best Goalkeeper – Men’s)
Gianluigi Donnarumma (Paris Saint-Germain and Manchester City / Italy)

Best Women’s Goalkeeper
Hannah Hampton (England / Aston Villa and Chelsea)

Men’s Coach of the Year
Luis Enrique (Paris Saint-Germain)

Women’s Coach of the Year
Sarina Wiegman (England)

The President's Cake

Director: Hasan Hadi

Starring: Baneen Ahmad Nayyef, Waheed Thabet Khreibat, Sajad Mohamad Qasem 

Rating: 4/5

COMPANY%20PROFILE
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Tips for job-seekers
  • Do not submit your application through the Easy Apply button on LinkedIn. Employers receive between 600 and 800 replies for each job advert on the platform. If you are the right fit for a job, connect to a relevant person in the company on LinkedIn and send them a direct message.
  • Make sure you are an exact fit for the job advertised. If you are an HR manager with five years’ experience in retail and the job requires a similar candidate with five years’ experience in consumer, you should apply. But if you have no experience in HR, do not apply for the job.

David Mackenzie, founder of recruitment agency Mackenzie Jones Middle East

UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
The biog

Favourite food: Tabbouleh, greek salad and sushi

Favourite TV show: That 70s Show

Favourite animal: Ferrets, they are smart, sensitive, playful and loving

Favourite holiday destination: Seychelles, my resolution for 2020 is to visit as many spiritual retreats and animal shelters across the world as I can

Name of first pet: Eddy, a Persian cat that showed up at our home

Favourite dog breed: I love them all - if I had to pick Yorkshire terrier for small dogs and St Bernard's for big

Super%20Mario%20Bros%20Wonder
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EDeveloper%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3ENintendo%20EPD%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EPublisher%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3ENintendo%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EConsole%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3ENintendo%20Switch%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ERating%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E4%2F5%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
MOUNTAINHEAD REVIEW

Starring: Ramy Youssef, Steve Carell, Jason Schwartzman

Director: Jesse Armstrong

Rating: 3.5/5

The alternatives

• Founded in 2014, Telr is a payment aggregator and gateway with an office in Silicon Oasis. It’s e-commerce entry plan costs Dh349 monthly (plus VAT). QR codes direct customers to an online payment page and merchants can generate payments through messaging apps.

• Business Bay’s Pallapay claims 40,000-plus active merchants who can invoice customers and receive payment by card. Fees range from 1.99 per cent plus Dh1 per transaction depending on payment method and location, such as online or via UAE mobile.

• Tap started in May 2013 in Kuwait, allowing Middle East businesses to bill, accept, receive and make payments online “easier, faster and smoother” via goSell and goCollect. It supports more than 10,000 merchants. Monthly fees range from US$65-100, plus card charges of 2.75-3.75 per cent and Dh1.2 per sale.

2checkout’s “all-in-one payment gateway and merchant account” accepts payments in 200-plus markets for 2.4-3.9 per cent, plus a Dh1.2-Dh1.8 currency conversion charge. The US provider processes online shop and mobile transactions and has 17,000-plus active digital commerce users.

• PayPal is probably the best-known online goods payment method - usually used for eBay purchases -  but can be used to receive funds, providing everyone’s signed up. Costs from 2.9 per cent plus Dh1.2 per transaction.

UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Updated: November 27, 2023, 9:02 AM