New £20 note: Banksy 'favourite' to replace Adam Smith even though no one knows what he looks like

 
New design: The £20 note
Sebastian Mann21 May 2015

Anonymous street artist Banksy would be the top choice to replace Adam Smith on the £20 note if living candidates were allowed - even though no one knows what he looks like.

John Constable is the legitimate candidate preferred by most Londoners, according to a poll of 1,000 Britons, who overall favoured painter L.S. Lowry.

It comes two days after the Bank of England announced it was seeking nominations from the public for the new face of the £20 note. The Bank has asked for suggestions of deceased visual artists, a field encompassing architects and sculptors as well as painters.

But quizzed on who they would choose if living artists were not barred, 40 per cent opted for Banksy, the well-known but anonymous graffiti artist whose politicised murals are recognised worldwide.

David Hockney and Damien Hirst won the support of 18 per cent and 10 per cent respectively.

The poll, carried out by organisers of the Affordable Art Fair which takes place in Hampstead next month, found Britons overall overwhelmingly favoured a male artist, with Barbara Hepworth winning just three per cent.

John Constable, JMW Turner, Alexander MacQueen and Walthamstow-born William Morris feature in the top five.

New design: The £20 note (Picture: PA)

Romy Westwood, the Affordable Art Fair's fair director, said: "The art community is thrilled that the Bank of England is taking the step to depict a visual artist on £20 notes and it's interesting to see the publics' current choice of L.S. Lowry - we think he would be a great choice".

"We hope that by having an iconic artist shown on a £20 note it will remind the public that you don't need to spend trillions to find a piece of art that you love."

The Affordable Art Fair takes place on Hampstead Heath from June 11-14. Set to go on sale are works priced £100 and £5,000 from more than 1,000 living artists.

Here are the full lists of the public's preferences according the fair's poll.

Top 10 dead visual artists (UK):

1. L.S. Lowry - 21 per cent

2. Constable - 19 per cent

3. J.M.W. Turner - 9 per cent

4. Alexander McQueen - 8 per cent

5. William Morris - 8 per cent

6. William Blake - 7 per cent

7. Henry Moore - 5 per cent

8. Thomas Gainsborough - 4 per cent

9. Francis Bacon - 4 per cent

10. Barbara Hepworth- 3 per cent

Top 10 living visual artists (UK):

1. Banksy - 40 per cent

2. David Hockney - 18 per cent

3. Damian Hirst - 10 per cent

4. Anthony Gormley - 7 per cent

5. Grayson Perry - 4 per cent

6. Tracey Emin - 4 per cent

7. Gilbert & George - 3 per cent

8. Elizabeth Peyton - 3 per cent

9. Marc Quinn - 2 per cent

Top 10 dead visual artists (London)

1. Constable - 16 per cent

2. JMW Turner - 12 per cent

3. William Blake - 12 per cent

4. Lowry - 10 per cent

5. Francis Bacon - 7 per cent

6. William Hogarth - 6 per cent

7. Henry Moore - 5 per cent

8. Thomas Gainsborough - 4 per cent

9. John Ruskin - 3 per cent

10. George Stubbs - 2 per cent

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