29% Agree With Banksy’s Claims That GUESS ‘Stole’ His Iconic Graffiti Images

Since his debut on the art scene in 1993, an anonymous British graffiti artist known as “Banksy” has remained a mystery. His art, frequently displayed on public bridges, tunnels, and walls, contains dark humor and political and social commentary.

Recently, Banksy accused the clothing company GUESS of featuring his artwork without his consent. In an Instagram post, he said:

“Attention all shoplifters. Please go to GUESS on Regent Street. They’ve helped themselves to my artwork without asking, how can it be wrong for you to do the same to their clothes?”

GUESS wrote in a statement that the collection was created in collaboration with the company Brandalised, which reportedly has a license to commercialize and use Banksy’s artwork on products.

Real Research launched a survey to gather further insights on this subject, aimed to see actual responses.

How Famous Is the Anonymous Street Artist Banksy?

56.72% of the corresponding Real Research participants are aware of the famous anonymous street artist Banksy, 17.18% have heard about him but not in detail, 15.68% have seen his work, and 10.42% are not aware of him.

The survey on artist Banksy accusing GUESS of stealing his artwork further highlights the following:

• 58.03% of Real Research respondents claim they have seen the stolen work, including the ‘Rage, the Flower Thrower(2015)’ at GUESS’ store display in London.
• 68.05% of the respondents believe Banksy should have legally sued GUESS.
• 12.28% alleged that Ford also stole work from individual artists for commercial use.

39.62% Of the Public Feel Neutral About Banksy’s Claim of His Artwork Being Stolen

Banksy accused GUESS of stealing his several iconic graffiti images, including the “Rage, the Flower Thrower (2015),” for their store display in London. 58.03% have seen the stolen work, 29.54% know about it but not in detail, and 12.42% are unaware.

Real Research also asked if they agree with Banksy’s claims that GUESS “stole” the said artwork. 39.62% of the public feels neutral, 28.61% strongly agree, and 26.60% somewhat agree.

Banksy’s Unusual Social Media Post

In retaliation, Banksy left an unusual post on his social media saying, “Please go to GUESS on Regent Street”, encouraging his followers to shoplift. Real Research asked our participants if Banksy should have sued the company for infringement of his artwork instead of encouraging violence-shoplifting. 13.98% say Banksy should have campaigned against GUESS, 7.78% say he should have raised awareness against art copyright infringement, while 4.70% say he should have found other measures to resolve the matter.

Luxury Giants and Popular Brands Stealing Independent Artworks

When asked, respondents answered that Ford (12.28%), Wet Seal (10.38%), Disney (9.36%), ZARA (8.80%), Urban Outfitters (6.21%), Forever 21 (6.04%) have allegedly stolen work from individual artists.

Standing with Individual Artists

Real Research asked respondents if these big brands accused of art theft should be pressed charges. 47.76% agreed they should, while 25.32% said they shouldn’t. Meanwhile, 26.91% felt unsure about where to stand.

Finally, we asked respondents why it was important to protect the rights of these individual artists. 43.14% believe it violated artists’ rights, 25.40% say it is an exploitation of one’s work, and 18.51% believe artists would not be able to make a living otherwise.