Went out and saw the new Banksy film last night, Exit through the Gift Shop. The film wasn’t what I had thought it to be, although I was surprisingly pleased by how much of the street art scene it showed. Much of the movie focused on Thierry Guetta and his rise from a disorganized video obsessionist to a mass producing for profit street artist under the title Mr. Brainwash. I was captivated by the strong images, and it was interesting to hear Banksy speak, albeit altered. This movie seems to be nothing more than a subversive message by Banksy about the state of the street art world. I doubt many of the viewers will understand the significance of what it means for Banksy to endorse this film about Thierry, but its obviously got to do with keeping the so-called mr. brainwash in line. There are positive remarks about Thierry’s work, but the main theme of the movie bashes on his style, or lack thereof. Banksy dupes the public once again to accept his own adaptation of mass production in order to discredit Thierry Guetta, the man who mass produced his way into the art scene after witnessing the art scene from behind the lens.
If for nothing more than to see the validity behind original street art, see this movie.
B+