Nick Walker (left) / Banksy (right)
According to a waitress at the newly stenciled Thunder Jackson restaurant, she witnessed someone purpoting to be Banksy painting the wall last night, “the whole thing took him about 15 minutes.” When asked if she was positive it was Banksy, she emphatically stated “yes,” and then awkwardly added, “Banksy is Nick Walker, they are the same person. Oops, I don’t think I was supposed to say that.” When pressed on why Banksy would use different names, she spilled, “He uses that identity because of visa and passport issues.” The waitress added that Banksy is going to make a big announcement about his identity but not while he’s in town, “He has a whole master PR plan, but he’s waiting till he leaves the country.” Of course this sounds like one sordid identity prank but it is interesting to note that Nick Walker sold over $1.5 million worth of his art at a recent solo exhibit in the UK—a trajectory unlike any other street artist besides Banksy, his fellow “spray mate” from Bristol. This stupid mystery continues.