In 2010 a documentary took movie-going audiences around the world by surprise and by storm. The documentary,
Exit Through the Gift Shop by enigmatic and guerilla street-artist
Banksy hit theaters and was even nominated for a 2011 Academy Award® and introduced the mainstream to
Mr. Brainwash. The film, which is based around the footage of Los Angeles Frenchman,
Thierry Guetta, about how he wanted to make the definitive movie about street art and street artists takes a real turn when he encounters the worlds most popular and mysterious artist, Banksy. Guetta, who started filming other artists like
Space Invader, Shepard Fairey, and others eventually links up with Banksy in London. The private Banksy allows Guetta into his world and eventually wants to see the footage that Guetta is filming, Guetta then cuts a film called,
Life Remote Control, which Banksy deems as "Unwatchable," then Guetta decides, thanks to inspiration from Banksy, to become a street artist himself and transforms himself into the megalomaniacal Mr. Brainwash. Mr. Brainwash decides to put on a massive gallery opening in L.A. and thanks to quotes from Banksy and other famous artists, his career was launched. What
Exit Through the Gift Shop exploits and questions are: What is art? Is modern art bullshit? Is everything art? Can anyone be a celebrity? Thanks to the questions that arise when screening the film, it also provided much debate whether this is a documentary or mockumentary. Conspiracy theorist's say that Mr. Brainwash is Banksy, since no one has ever seen nor heard what he sounds like outside of his inner circle. Many also feel that this was Banksy's middle finger to the movie going world and found a new medium of art to invade. Whatever the case may be, the film is exhilarating and a non-stop roller coaster in the world of underground art. Narrated by
Rhs Ifans and featuring music from
Portishead's Geoff Barrow, Exit Through the Gift Shop is a must watch.
