Never-before-seen photographs have emerged believed to show Banksy painting his biggest ever work of art, taken long before he was a household name.
The elusive artist painted the side of a 17-tonne circus truck at a party near Malaga in Spain in 2000, when it was still “off the radar”.
The vehicle became known as The Turbozone Truck and later went up for auction with a guide price of £1 million to £1.5 million after being authenticated by his studio.
Photos have now emerged of a painter believed to be Banksy working on the graffiti after they were rediscovered by a fellow partygoer who says he spoke to the artist at the time.
The photographer, who wishes to remain anonymous, took the photographs around 6am on New Year’s Day 2000, after a party in the Alpujarras, southern Spain.
Photos have emerged of a painter believed to be Banksy working on this art in Malaga in 2000.
The artwork was officially titled ‘The Turbozone Truck (Laugh now, but one day we’ll be in charge)’ and is believed to be the largest work ever created by Banksy.
The photographer said: ‘I used to spend a lot of time in Bristol. Our friends told us about this party that was happening in Spain and we thought why not?
“At the time we were very aware of Banksy stuff when it came out, but it was still pretty much under the radar.
“Then we were at the party and we saw a guy painting. The three of us looked at each other and said it had to be Banksy.
“We didn’t know at the time that he would become one of the most famous artists in the world.”
The photographer says he approached the man and asked if he was the mysterious street artist, and says the man confirmed it was Banksy.
He said: “It wasn’t much of a conversation. I remember we said we had seen some of his work in Bristol, as I remember he had been flown in from Bristol.”
The artwork was officially titled ‘The Turbozone Truck (Laugh now, but one day we’ll be in charge)’ and is believed to be the largest work ever created by Banksy.
The photographer says he approached the man and asked if he was the mysterious street artist. He says the man confirmed he was Banksy
In 2019 it was put up for auction with a guide price of £1.5 million, but did not sell.
The truck with Banksy’s artwork spent years traveling across Europe and as far as South America as part of transport for Turbozone’s Cinderella show.
It also appears in Banksy’s official book, Wall and Piece, which was published in 2006 and authenticated by the artist through his studio, Pest Control.
Despite resurfaced images purportedly showing Banksy clearly showing a painter at work, the artist’s secretive face is still hidden.
The mystery surrounding his identity continues despite the fact that investigations claim to have unmasked him.
The latest theory disappointed fans after a man pictured outside a new mural on Hornsey Road in Finsbury Park, north London, turned out to be George Giorgiou, 67.
The retired builder was initially believed to be Robin Gunningham, a former Bristol public schoolboy whose link to Banksy was first revealed by a Mail On Sunday investigation in 2008.