Banksy Confirms New Flag-Blindfolded Statue in Waterloo Place

In the early hours of 29 April 2026 a bronze-toned statue of a suited man stepping off a plinth while a billowing flag covers his face appeared on a traffic island in Waterloo Place, near Buckingham Palace. The base bore the signature “Banksy”. On 30 April the artist posted a short Instagram video showing the night-time placement and stating the work was his.

Banksy confirms a new statue in central London of a man blinded by a flag is his work

Banksy, an anonymous British street artist active since the early 1990s, is renowned for graffiti but has occasionally produced statues. Notable precedents include “The Drinker” (2004) on Shaftesbury Avenue, a 2024 series of animal silhouettes across London, a September 2025 mural at the Royal Courts of Justice, and a December 2025 children-looking-at-the-sky mural near Centre Point. He authenticates new pieces on his Instagram account, which has 13.8 million followers.

Has a new Banksy statue just appeared in central London?

Banksy’s Instagram video explicitly identified the Waterloo Place sculpture as his, describing the night-time placement. When Reuters inquired about recent attempts to reveal his identity, Banksy’s lawyer Mark Stephens said the artist rejected many of the details in the inquiry, emphasizing the protective role of anonymity.

The Guardian

A passerby near the statue expressed personal dislike, stating “no, I don’t like it.” Critics have also questioned the legality of installing the artwork within a historic area that includes monuments to King Edward VII, Florence Nightingale, the Duke of York Column and the Crimean War Memorial.

Has a new Banksy statue just appeared in central London?

The Art Newspaper noted the work had not yet been posted on Banksy’s official Instagram for authentication, while the artist’s video on the platform confirmed authorship. Additionally, Reuters claimed to have identified Banksy as Robin Gunningham; Gunningham has denied the allegation, and Stephens rejected the inquiry’s details.

The Guardian

• “LONDON -- Elusive street artist Banksy said Thursday that a new sculpture that appeared in central London of a man striding off a plinth, with his face blinded by a billowing flag, is his work.” — Banksy (Instagram video)

Banksy confirms a new statue in central London of a man blinded by a flag is his work

• “no, I don’t like it” — Man interviewed near the statue

The Guardian

• “does not accept that many of the details contained within your inquiry are correct” — Mark Stephens, Banksy’s lawyer

The Guardian

• “The statue at Waterloo Place has yet to be posted, and therefore authenticated, on Banksy’s official Instagram, although it has reportedly already drawn crowds.” — The Art Newspaper

Has a new Banksy statue just appeared in central London?

The installation revives debate over street art placed in civic spaces, highlights tension between contemporary protest expression and heritage preservation, and shows how anonymity shields a high-profile artist from legal and personal threats.

UsNews and World Report

Locals and tourists gathered at the traffic island shortly after the statue appeared, drawn by the visible “Banksy” signature. The Art Newspaper noted that the statue remained in place at the time of publishing, and that it had already attracted crowds despite not yet being posted on the artist’s Instagram for authentication.

Banksy confirms a new statue in central London of a man blinded by a flag is his work