The allure of this documentary started with a conversation with a good friend of mine. He seemed incredibly fascinated with street art after viewing the film, which is directed by our modern generation’s iconic artist Banksy. All I can say is that after watching this documentary, which is currently up for an Academy Award for Best Documentary Film, I am just as deeply enamored as my friend.
Movie Poster for Banksy's debut film & documentary Exit Through the Gift Shop
Exit Through the Gift Shop documents the unexpected rise of French immigrant Thierry Guetta as he follows infamous street artists with his camera. Guetta discovers the world of street art after his cousin, who is known to the art world as Space Invader, comes to LA to visit. Guetta tags along with Space Invader, filming his cousin as he works on projects and illegally displays them on buildings and other public areas. He later meets more street artists and follows them once his cousin returns to France. Guetta later meets many known artists such as Monsieur André, Neckface, Sweet Toof, Borf, Zevs, and eventually Shepard Pairey (known best as the guy who created the iconic image of Obama in his election campaign). Most of the street artists questioned whether they wanted Guetta filming as they committed vandalism, and felt uncomfortable around the weird, quirky Frenchman. But after Guetta told them he was working on a documentary about street art, they accepted him into their world.
But unknown to all of these artists, Guetta was filming an ungodly amount of footage with no intention of making a film. He was an inexperienced filmmaker, with little knowledge of how to create a documentary.
Banksy is the British street artist that Guetta considered to be the ultimate subject to follow. He creates three dimensional street art and often makes people question the morals of society. The only problem for Guetta was that Banksy’s identity has always been unknown. After almost giving up, Banksy eventually met Guetta, after needing a place to crash and a person to show him around Los Angelos. The two became very close friends. Banksy had his first official art show in the US, and became an in-demand artist. Knowing that street art was his true passion, he wanted Guetta to get the documentary out with all the footage he had captured over the years. But after Guetta gave him a film that Banksy claimed was unwatchable, Banksy took over as documentary filmmaker and advised Guetta to go out and make street art. Guetta did just this, becoming Mr. Brain Wash and opening a sold out debut art show in Los Angelos
The film pushes the audience to question how we’re influenced by media to give our attention to certain artists. Banksy stresses in the film that street art is all about bringing issues to the forefront in society and showing that most artists want their work to be seen, regardless of whether they are paid. After watching Exit Through the Gift Shop, I suddenly realized that there was a history behind the graffiti in the parking garages and buildings in East Lansing, where I am currently going to university. Many of the iconic images of the street artists in the film are used in the street art in East Lansing, and I’m sure it’s not just here either. Banksy and Mr. Brain Wash influenced an entire art generation and inspired them to promote what I like to think of as “think art.”
People are speculating at whether the whole film is a hoax and a mockery of our culture’s way of following the hype of the media towards an artist. Did Banksy create Mr. Brain Wash? Who knows. What I do know is that this film is worth watching, regardless.
Overall Rating: 5 out of 5.
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