Two Local Artists Claim Responsibility for Faux Banksy in Glasgow

Shortly after Banksy’s “Cut & Run” opened at Glasgow’s Gallery of Modern Art, a spate of street art appeared on the walls around Scotland’s biggest city, leading some to believe the street artist was augmenting his first show in 19 years with some urban additions. Now, according to the BBC, two Glaswegian artists claimed responsibility for the ersatz Banksy, claiming the knockoff was an experiment.

Just days after “Cut & Run” opened, Ciaran Globel and Conzo Throb painted one of Banksy’s recurring subjects, the humble rodent, on the side of a building on one of Glasgow’s main thoroughfares, Buchanan Street. The rat was depicted banging on a drum with a mallet, marching band–style. The drumhead was punctured in the center and the words “God Save The King” we printed around the hole. The rat’s tail was caught in a mousetrap with the UK tabloid the Sun (which is owned by Rupert Murdoch) used a bait.

According to the BBC, more than a few people believed it to be a genuine Banksy, and the two artists said they closely studied Banksy’s past and current work so their homage would seem legitimate.

“We really did our homework and studied what he does now,” Throb told BBC Scotland’s Lunchtime Live. “We were trying to really convince people on it whilst adding our own spin to it. So, getting into the mind of Banksy as well as into the hands of Banksy, it was quite fun but also quite challenging because he makes it looks effortless.” The duo even posted a “how to” showing their process on Instagram.

The experiment, the artists said, was to see how people would react to a work with such a high perceived value on the street. The rat did indeed go viral, but, as they expected, once the truth came out about the artists behind the rodent, public opinion quickly changed.

“It’s there for all to see that as soon as it was decided it wasn’t a Banksy, it lost all value whether monetary or artistically. It then ceased to have any value, and it was then at that point just an eyesore to the council,” Throb said.

The work has since been partially painted over and the Glasgow City Council has said it should be removed. A spokesperson for the City Council told PA News Agency that “anyone who wants to be certain of viewing a true Banksy should head to the exhibition at GoMA [Gallery of Modern Art].”