Banksy Unveils Statue of Blindfolded Man Marching Off Plinth in Central London

Key facts

• Banksy confirmed the statue as his work via Instagram on 30 April 2025.
• The sculpture depicts a suited man stepping off a plinth, his face covered by a flag.
• It was installed in the early hours of Wednesday 29 April on Waterloo Place, St James's.
• The location is near statues of Edward VII, Florence Nightingale, and the Crimean War Memorial.
• Banksy said of the spot: 'There was a bit of a gap.'
• Westminster City Council has erected safety barriers but is keeping the statue accessible.
• A Reuters investigation in March 2025 claimed Banksy is Robin Gunningham, also known as David Jones.

A Monument Appears in the Night

A new statue by the street artist Banksy materialised on a traffic island in central London this week, drawing crowds of onlookers and sparking debate. The work, confirmed by the artist on his Instagram account on Thursday afternoon, shows a suited man striding forward off a plinth, his face entirely obscured by a large flag he carries. The sculpture stands on Waterloo Place in St James's, an area designed in the 19th century to celebrate imperialism and military dominance. It now shares the ceremonial island with statues of King Edward VII, nurse Florence Nightingale, and the Crimean War Memorial. Banksy's representatives told the BBC that the piece was installed in the early hours of Wednesday, before the artist posted a video of the operation under cover of darkness using heavy machinery.

Crowds Gather and Opinions Divide

Since the statue appeared, the number of visitors has steadily grown. Ollie Isaac, a 23-year-old student, joined dozens taking a look and called the work 'brilliant,' suggesting it was a response to 'the resurgence of nationalism in the world and this country.' He added, 'That suit screams politician.' Teacher Lynette Cloraleigh, 55, came after seeing a friend's Instagram post. 'I like it,' she said. 'I like where it is. (It's) intriguing how it got here.' Not all feedback was positive: a video shared on social media captured an unidentified elderly man pointing up the street and saying, 'I don't like it. That's a nice statue up there – I prefer that.'

Council Acts to Protect the Work

By Thursday afternoon, contractors were seen erecting safety barriers around the statue. Westminster City Council, which is responsible for the area, issued a statement expressing excitement at 'Banksy's latest sculpture in Westminster, making a striking addition to the city's vibrant public art scene.' The council added that while initial steps had been taken to protect the statue, 'at this time it will remain accessible for the public to view and enjoy.' The decision to keep the work accessible reflects the temporary nature of such public art. As Ollie Isaac noted, 'With Banksy, it's a limited time event because it's public art – you don't know how long it's going to be up.'

Banksy's Identity Resurfaces in Investigation

The statue's unveiling comes just over a month after a Reuters investigation claimed to have confirmed the famously enigmatic artist's true identity. backed up a similar claim by the Mail on Sunday tabloid nearly two decades ago that Banksy is a 52-year-old Briton, born as Robin Gunningham, who later changed his name to David Jones. Reuters relied in part on a New York arrest record from 2000, as well as witness testimony from a more recent visit to Ukraine by Banksy. Banksy himself has never officially confirmed his identity, and the artist's representatives did not respond to requests for comment from The Art Newspaper. The new work nonetheless carries his signature scrawled on the base, a hallmark of his public confirmations.

A String of Recent Works in London

The British artist has been increasingly active in the UK capital over the last two years. In summer 2024, a series of stencilled animal silhouettes appeared across the city and on a London Zoo building. In September 2025, Banksy drew controversy for an unauthorised mural at the Royal Courts of Justice, which was quickly removed by the HM Courts and Tribunals Service. The new statue, with its bronze and granite colouration, deliberately echoes the monuments around it, including the Duke of York Column and the Guards Crimean War memorial. Waterloo Place, located in the St James's neighbourhood, is home to gentlemen's clubs, art and luxury businesses, and sits close to the government buildings and foreign embassies of Westminster.

What the Statue May Signify

The imagery of a suited man blindly stepping off a plinth, his vision blocked by a flag, has invited immediate interpretation as a critique of nationalism and political blindness. The location, surrounded by monuments to empire and military leaders, reinforces that reading. Banksy's own comment on the placement — 'There was a bit of a gap' — suggests a deliberate filling of a symbolic void. As the crowds continue to gather, the statue remains a temporary fixture, its fate uncertain. The council has not indicated how long it will stay, and the work's value as a piece of unsolicited public art may ultimately be decided by the authorities or by the artist himself. For now, it stands as a provocative addition to London's streetscape, inviting reflection on power, patriotism, and the act of looking.

The bottom line

• Banksy confirmed the statue via Instagram on 30 April 2025, posting a video of its overnight installation.
• The work depicts a suited man stepping off a plinth, his face covered by a flag, and is located on Waterloo Place near monuments to empire and war.
• Westminster City Council has erected safety barriers but is keeping the statue accessible to the public for now.
• The statue appears to critique nationalism and political blindness, according to observers and its placement.
• Banksy's identity remains officially unconfirmed, though a March 2025 Reuters investigation claimed he is Robin Gunningham/David Jones.
• The piece is the latest in a series of Banksy works in London, following animal stencils in 2024 and a controversial mural at the Royal Courts of Justice in 2025.