Watch this Banksy expert's amused reaction to viral video claiming he is the street artist
Watch this Banksy expert's amused reaction to a viral video claiming he is in fact the mysterious street artist mastermind. Paul Gough, the vice president of Arts University Bournemouth (AUB), recorded his reaction to a viral video drawing parallels between himself and the mystery artist. The conspiracy theory that Paul Cough is in fact Banksy has been spreading on the AUB campus for some time and has now made it onto social media. A representative for the university said: "We are not aware of where the theory first originated, but it had been circulating for quite a while prior to release over social media. "We have not seen any evidence of the theory shared online before. "Reactions have been very interesting, especially as others have joined in on the theory, sharing extra details and observations about Vice-Chancellor Professor Paul Gough and his connection to Banksy. "Some of these being entirely new points and suggestions." The video outlines Gough's comings and goings across the world and how his travels have uncannily been similar to where Banky's murals have cropped up. Gough, who has a master's degree in Fine Art, is also suggested to have the skills to pull off Banksy's work. Gough was also the former Vice-Chancellor of the University of West England in Bristol, a City known for its array of Banksy paintings. The funny video shows Gough agreeing to almost every single point made and laughing along with everything in the video. Paul said: "I'm over sixty, and I was born in Plymouth, though I moved around all over UK and Europe, as I grew up in a military family. "My current book on Banksy looks at the artist and the art, rather than the anonymous and notorious Robin Hood prankster, who tends to dominate the headlines. "It’s easy to become fascinated by the anonymity of the artist. But my interest has always been in the art itself. The way the images mix a memorable design with immediate and meaningful messages. "It’s tempting to consider Banksy as a man, but it could just as easily be a woman, a non-binary individual, or a group of people who wilfully protect each other’s identity. "I’m always struck by how many people respond to the topic of Banksy. It certainly strikes a chord."