Banksy is one of the most famous artists in the world and they are primarily known for being anonymous. No one has been able to figure out Banksy's true identity, which helps give them a veneer of mystery. Despite this, it looks as though Banksy's identity could be compromised in the not so distant future.
According to High Snobiety, Bansky is currently in a legal battle with a card company called Full Colour Black. The brand wanted to use Banksy's infamous image of a protestor throwing a bouquet, however, Bansky had trademarked in 2014. The company felt like Banksy had no intention of using the trademark, which led the artist to create their own store as a way to circumvent Full Colour Black's assertions. Now, the European Union’s Intellectual Property Office believes Banksy operated in bad faith and that in order to maintain the legitimacy of his trademarks, he must reveal his identity.
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“The use, which was only made after the initiation of the present proceedings, was identified as use to circumvent the requirements of trademark law and thus there was no intention to genuinely use the sign as a trademark," the court said. [...] “In fact, all of Banksy’s trademarks are at risk as all of the portfolio has the same issue. He cannot be identified as the unquestionable owner of such works as his identity is hidden.”
This is going to be an interesting situation moving forward, as Banksy will now have to choose between anonymity and the rights to their own work.
[Via]