No single living artist has created as many myths, rumours and legends as Banksy. In his home-town of Bristol almost everyone seems to have a Banksy story. Many of the tales in this book are from Bristol, some are from further a field. What they share is that they are all told with the wide eyed wonder which Banksy inspires.

Collated between 2009 and 2011 some of these stories are quite old and have been told so many times they have become the stuff of legend, others are more questionable and best described as myths. Some are laugh out loud absurd and some are simply gossip. You be the judge.

For me, these stories illustrate the incredible audacity, originality and sheer bloody mindedness of Banksy. Obviously he will be best remembered for his art and exposing the hypocrisy and dumbness of our modern lives. The myths will be viewed as a distraction to some or part of the appeal for others. One thing is certain, the art and the myths are both larger than life and stick two fingers up at conformity.

This book is a celebration of that anarchic, rebellious spirit.

Banksy Myths & Legends