Anonymous Artist on Secret Mission: Banksy in Ukraine

Graffiti, Kyiv’s Maidan Nezalezhnosti (Independence Square), photo by Rasal Hague, Wikimedia Commons.

First, there was a discovery: several graffiti appeared seemingly out of nowhere in a bombed-out small town outside of Kyiv (Ukraine) that had been heavily bombarded and occupied by Russia, but which has since been liberated. Soon, similar graffiti were found in other locations. Then, there was speculation: could these graffiti be the work of Banksy, the secretive graffiti artist whose real name and identity remains unknown, even though his artworks sell for astronomical sums? Banksy’s murals have a distinctive style – and often combine a political message with a humorous image. Finally, there came the confirmation: Banksy posted images of the murals and a short video linked to their creation on his Instagram account. The playful graffiti are powerful images of hope returning to the ruins and include a gymnast balancing on her hands, a small boy throwing Russia’s President Vladimir Putin to the ground in a judo match (sprayed on the ruins of a building that used to house a kindergarten), two children playing seesaw.