"Exit Through the Gift Shop" is a documentary by Banksy, which follows Terry Guetta, a French filmmaker. Terry is a street artist who uses street art to express himself. It is a controversary as to whether the film is a complete hoax created by street artists. However, assuming that it is NOT, this documentary shows just how quickly America can be "brainwashed" by advertising and word-of-mouth. It shows how quickly people will follow the crowd. It greatly relates to what we learned about culture jamming. (Remember Sheppard Fairley’s "Andre the Giant", and how quickly that image became popular).
This film begins with "Mr. Brainwash" (as he is known by street artists), following well-known street artists around while they "tag" buildings throughout the city. He documents these artists whom he is fascinated by, and is thus a self-proclaimed film-maker. Terry Guetta documents EVERYTHING. At first, he is seen as a very genuine, artistic, and endearing character, with a passion for what he does. He doesn't care that street art is illegal; it is a form of expression that deserves to be captured on film as true art. After much documenting, especially of the British street artist, Banksy, (who remains unveiled throughout the film) Terry decides that he wants to become a street artist himself. This may seem inspiring, however, Terry rips off the ideas of many street artists he has documented, in order to become his own street artist. His mold of all these different works is the creator called "Mr. Brainwash". It is clear that most of his work is borrowed, not only from other street artists, but big names such as Andy Whorol. This makes him seem much less genuine in his work, because originally in the film, street art was a form of personal expression that inspired him. Later on, street art becomes a stolen art, which is NOT personal or genuine (at least for Mr. Brainwash). It simply becomes a way to get his name out, become famous, and make lots of money. Half the point of being a true street artist is remaining unknown, and mysterious (it is illegal). Mr. Brainwash twists the entire concept of street are, making it public, and making it unoriginal. He eventually puts on his own art show, with all these stolen concepts and designs, selling for upward of $60,000 a piece! His show becomes the talk of the town and he is now even recognized by people such as Madonna.
Once he has his art show in the works, his entire demeanor and way he is seen through the documentary, changes. Terry, Mr. Brainwash, becomes extremely bossy, cocky, and all about the money. Going from Terry Guetta the self-proclaimed film-maker, to Mr. Brainwash, has changed Terry as a person, or so it seems through the film. Banksy juggles the idea of endorsing Terry's show, because he is not sure if it a good idea, because he has also seen the changes in Terry. He doesn't really think Terry is a true artist; he seems him more as an opportunist. At the end of the film, the question of whether Mr. Brainwash is just what his name states, a person who tricks others into following the trend even though there may not be a reason to, or if he is truly an artist. The public went crazy over Mr.Brainwash's artwork, so does that mean he is a successful artist? Money wise, yes he is. But the general public does not know his story or know that the works he "created" weren't really his true creations. The end of the film leaves the viewer with a sort of bittersweet taste. We watched a man go from being inspired by street art, documenting it all over the world, to becoming his own mainstream phenomenon.
Do you feel that "Mister Brain Wash" is a legitimate artist who is creating meaningful art?
I do not feel that MBW is a legitamate artist creating meaningful work. All he really did was document others, take their ideas, and call it art. Such a large portion of his art were Andy Worhol's with a little spray paint on them. He got his name out there by putting stickers up of himself all over the place. It was almost symbolic when he plastered his design over another street artists. Mr.Brainwash reminds me of a big corporation like Wal-mart, taking out small mom-and-pop businesses. He doesn't care about the true art, he doesn't care about the other artists or "keeping art alive". His works are not genuine. What he cares about is people knowing who he is, knowing his "art" and spending their money on it. He is an artist is the sense that he was able to get so many people to know who he was simply through word-of-mouth, which is definitely an artform of some sort. However, when it comes to creating art, he should not be given much credit. He took the ideas from street artists he had documented, other famous figures, and even had others creating the pieces of art for him! He is not a true artist. The only art he really created was spray painting words on walls, which anyone can do. Any artist can have people working for him to produce some work, but the head artist is still producing art, he simply has the assistants to help. MBW is just telling artists what to make for him. Although he has "ideas" (which just about anyone can come up with a genious art idea or concept), he does not create it in any sense, he just tells others what to do and what to make. The real artists are his assistants, creating the art. Even when he had his show, Life is Beatiful, he wasn't even in there putting the pieces together. He just told the assistants what to do, and when they needed help he was "too busy doing an interview". Mr. Brainwash, in the eyes of a true artist, would be considered a coward and a poser.
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