Why is Andrew Gallagher suing Banksy?

ANDREW Gallagher has filed a case against famed graffiti artist Banksy.

But who is Andrew Gallagher, why is he suing Banksy and who is rumoured to be the elusive artist? Here's everything you need to know.

Who is Andrew Gallagher?

Andrew Gallagher is an iconoclastic entrepreneur who organised raves in the 1990s.

He later moved on to photograph graffiti artwork.

Gallagher is the brand director of Brandalised, a company which collaborates with street artists.

He is also the founder of Full Colour Black, a contemporary art licensing company which specialises in the commercialisation of world famous street art.

Why is Andrew Gallagher suing Banksy?

Ever since emerging on the art scene in the late 1990s, Banksy - who found fame on the streets of Bristol with his distinct style of stencilled graffiti images - has remained anonymous.

Now, the elusive artist has been named in a High Court legal action accusing him of defamation, according to the .

Graffiti pioneer Gallagher filed a lawsuit accusing "The Artist Known as 'Banksy'" of defamation, with the co-defendant also named as Pest Control Ltd - the company that sells his artwork.

In an interview in 2022, he said: "I didn't realize it at the time, but most of the photographs I took were by a new kid on the block who went by the name of Banksy."

While Banksy successfully applied for an EU trademark in 2014, that ruling was overturned when Gallagher appealed in 2021.

Gallagher filed the lawsuit - but his lawyer, Aaron Wood of Brandsmiths, told MailOnline: ''I'm not at liberty to say any more about the claim.''

Who is rumoured to be Banksy?

Despite being known across the globe, Banksy's true identity has never been revealed.

As graffiti can be considered criminal damage, initially it is thought the artist, whose work has been spotted around the UK and internationally, chose to remain anonymous to avoid a run-in with the law.

In 2008, it was alleged that Banksy is Bristol-born artist Robin Gunningham.

He has been flagged in a number of landmark investigations over the years.

Most notably was when scientists from Queen Mary University used geographical profiling to link him to graffiti found in Jamaica in 2008.

Key to the case was a photograph which showed him in a pair of baggy jeans, an oversized dark blue button up with a set of mischievous glasses on.

As he knelt down in his streetwise kit, he appeared to be surrounded by a smoking gun - stencils, a sketchbook and spray cans.

Banksy denied the picture was him, as did Robin's parents.

Other reports have suggested that Banksy could be artist and musician Robert del Naja - who made his name as a graffiti artist around Bristol before turning his hand to music.

In 2020, Art Attack presenter Neil Buchanan denied he was Banksy, following an online conspiracy theory about his identity.

Other names in the frame include Gorillaz artist Jamie Hewlett and Mr Brainwash - a Los Angeles-based street artist.

You can see a full list of Banksy's street work here.