No, Banksy isn’t tagging Baltimore

In one of the most-discussed posts on the Baltimore subreddit this weekend, people wondered if the elusive artist Banksy had come to town and left some artwork in Canton. The graffiti is certainly reminiscent of some of Banksy’s pieces — it features bold lettering and stenciling, like much of his artwork. But it’s almost certainly not. The wall in question, off Fait Avenue near South Potomac Street, features two pieces. One shows a woman wearing a bandana over her face and holding a can of spray paint. It’s actually a replication of another street artist’s work. It’s a re-creation of a piece by the artist Eddie Colla, complete with the phrase “If you want to achieve greatness stop asking for permission” in all-caps, block lettering. The Baltimore Banner thanks its sponsors. Become one. The piece from Colla originally appeared in 2010, according to an interview with the artist. He’s since used the phrase and the image of the woman multiple times, as on this stop sign in Oakland or this piece in San Francisco. Earlier this year, Colla re-released the piece, including as an NFT. The artist said in an email Monday morning that it “definitely wasn’t” him that produced...