Graffiti in Ukraine town could be Banksy’s work

SPECULATION is mounting that mystery Bristol graffiti artist Banksy is in Ukraine, and is painting his street art on the walls of missile-damaged buildings.

One work of art on a demolished building in Borodyanka shows a child throwing a man to the floor in a judo outfit, and there is a growing belief that the artist Banksy is behind the work.

While there is no confirmation, yet, on Banksy’s official Instagram feed, and queries to Banksy’s representative in this country are still awaiting a response, images of the work are being shared on social media in the UK by associates of Banksy in the street art world.

The picture was photographed by photojournalist Ed Ram, who is in Ukraine working for photo agency Getty.

Borodyanka is in the Kyiv region in the north of Ukraine and was hit particularly hard by Russian airstrikes in the first few weeks of the conflict.

Mr Ram wrote on Instagram: “I wonder if it might be a Banksy or an imitation? Russian president Vladimir Putin, who was a black belt in judo, was removed from his position as honorary president of the International Judo Federation in May.”

Without confirmation from Banksy on his Instagram feed, or through his representatives in this country, it is still not known whether the works popping up in Borodyanka are by the elusive Bristolian.

It could well be that a local artist, or street artist from Europe, has sprayed the works in Banksy’s style.

The image was shared by Martyn Reed, an artist, curator and event manager, who said: “It’s beginning to look like Banksy is in Ukraine. There was some debate when the first stencil appeared, but surely this dispels any doubt. Expect to

see more popping up in the coming days.”

The original stencil he referred to shows a boy and a girl on a wall sprayed in such a way as to make it look like the corner of a metal frame on the ground in front of them is a seesaw.

It would not be the first time Banksy has ventured into the world’s conflict zones – he has travelled to Palestine many times, first to paint on or near the huge wall erected by the Israelis, and then to open a guesthouse called The Walled Off Hotel in Bethlehem in 2017. It was meant to be temporary but is still open to visitors.

Back in the UK, Banksy has returned to painting in Bristol after returning to the West Country in recent years. He painted another in the ‘Girl with a Red Balloon’ series in Barton Hill, and then painted ‘Aachoo’ on the wall at the bottom of England’s steepest residential street, Vale Street in Totterdown.

In the past year or so, he was heavily involved in supporting the ‘Colston Four’ – protesters who were cleared of causing criminal damage despite admitting to helping crowds pull down the statue of slave trader Edward Colston in Bristol in 2020.

Ed Ram/Getty Images Banksy-style street art on a wrecked building in Borodyanka, in northern Ukraine ... but is it by the artist himself?