Finally caught this documentary last night in NYC. Pretty good introduction to people unfamiliar with the street art scene with spotlights on the likes of Shepard Fairey, Invader and, of course, Banksy among others. The film follows the video camera of Thierry Guetta as he documents a variety of street artists bombing different walls in the US and the UK. Along the way, we see his transformation from a documentarian of street art culture to a so-called artist himself, eventually making millions overnight. With Exit Through The Gift Shop, I believe Banksy attempts to draw attention to the problem of mainstream culture’s infiltration on a previously lesser known artform (in this case, street art) for its own monetary gain, leaving the pioneers high and dry. As Banksy states in the film, it ain’t about the money. It’s about the bastardization of a culture by those who proclaim to love it but will be quick to jump to the next cash cow when it suits them. It’s about the ridiculous notion of commodifying and selling art when it should be free to the world. But I digress. It appears Banksy sees this going down in the art world. And if you’re a Hip-Hop head in any sense of the word, you definitely see it in Hip-Hop culture as well.
If you have the chance to see this documentary before it leaves theaters, I suggest you do so. Now. Further incentive to get off your ass is that the film is wonderfully scored by Geoff Barrow, the man behind the music for Portishead. link
