Is mystery Swindon artwork a Banksy?

By Barrie Hudson - 9 March 2021

CommunityArts and Culture

Has enigmatic guerrilla graffiti artist Banksy left one of his creations in Swindon?

The image is life-size or nearly so

That is the question being asked by excited social media users after the overnight appearance of a striking artwork on the wall of a former Swindon bus station.

The life-size piece, showing a young man in a 1930s-style flat cap carrying a sandwich board, is among graffiti on the wall of the empty depot toward the top of Eastcott Hll.

The message on the sandwich board is: "Wild £ man on the run Heading BRISTOL."

Below this are the words: "Dodge NEWS."

Ever since word of the piece began circulating on social media, a steady stream of people have been coming to take photographs.

One local woman, Elizabeth Hannah, said: "I heard about it on the local Facebook group. Somebody going to school had spotted it. I took a little walk up here."

Ms Hannah speculated that the reference to Bristol might be a clue, as the artist has connections to the city.

Aside from his striking art, Banksy is perhaps best known for shunning publicity and keeping his identity a secret.  

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