Review of Exit Through the Gift Shop (2010) by Stevenf — 26 Mar 2013

Perhaps the one of the best documentary/mockumentary to appear in the past decade, excuse the slash, because it is quite hard to tell if this is real or not, either way it is a truly fascinating look at the underworld art of the street, you may know it as graffiti.

Infamous street artist Banksy has created this little film using footage of amateur (in every sense of the word) filmmaker Thierry Guetta, who spends most of his life with a camera in his hands. After beginning to follow his street artist cousin Invader around, Thierry is soon introduced to some of the most well-known artists in the world, including famous OBEY artist Shepard Fairey, who seems a bit disillusioned to Guetta, yet continues to let him follow him anyway.

Guetta finally makes acquaintances with Banksy, who is surprised by Guetta's loyalty and persistent nature.

As Banksy's hidden and hooded figure speaks to the camera, he does say that he places full trust in Guetta, particularly after a controversial piece of art at Disneyland involving a blow up doll.

The film is one of the funniest things to witness, Thierry Guetta sort of seems like a lucky guy falling into the right places at the right time, he never shows much intelligence in what he does, never asking pressing questions but silly ones instead, and if this truly was a true documentary, then I'm sure the artists involved also don't quite know what to make of him, Banksy opening the film by saying that it started as a film about him but this guy was much more interesting was hilarious because perhaps its true, he is seemingly an overnight sensation by using other artist's work and throwing dashes of paint and photoshopped wigs on them to pass them off as his own. He did, however, incorporate the name of Mister Brainwash, so perhaps this was just utter genius, selling over one million dollars worth of art, yet barely taking part in any of the work itself.

This is a very simple and witty take on a "legally grey area" of art, and just some of Banksy's art is showcased and we get a glimpse of just how talented this man is, and the risks that himself and other street artists take to evade the law in the name of beauty.

Whether it was real or not, Exit Through the Gift Shop is certainly a must see for art and documentary fans alike, Mister Brainwash is certainly an enigma, but perhaps one that wasn't supposed to happen.