Wait! Before you go any further I feel that I must offer some kind of warning. If you haven’t seen ‘Exit Through The Gift Shop’ and you plan on it, you probably shouldn’t read any more of this article. Imma try not to spoil any major plotlines here but I can’t guarantee, so… Heads up!
I watched that film, ‘Through The Gift Shop’ by Banksy last night. It was actually pretty good. Alls I knew about it was that it was nominated for an Oscar and that there’s speculation that it’s all a big hoax by Banksy.
Usually I find it disappointing when I find out that things I believe in are bogus. Like ‘Catfish’. I watched that under strict instructions not to do any research beforehand. And I really liked it. When Nev and the gang landed at yer ones’ house I was fairly certain that some INTENSE SHIT WAS GONNA GO DOWN!!! In hindsight, what actually went down was relatively tame when compared with what I was expecting (I dunno, like Nevs’ mam in a shallow grave or some shit). But anyway, that’s still a good movie. I’ve watched it several times since and still enjoy it. Anyways, the first time, I did what I always do after I watch a movie and that’s to go and look it up online, find out when and where and how and why these films are made. And I find out that there’s mass speculation that ‘Catfish’ was a hoax. You know, they’re saying that it all just worked out too well for it to be real. Like why were they filming Nevs’ Facebook use so early on? It just all played out so nicely. I dunno, maybe it is a hoax, maybe they just got lucky with how it all went down. I still maintain that ‘Catfish’ is a great watch, but it’s definitely disappointing to have the seed of doubt planted.
Anyways, so it’s the same kind of deal with ‘Exit Through The Gift Shop’. It’s a documentary about this guy, Thierry Guetta (No relation to David, unfortunately) who films everything and then he gets involved in and subsequently obsessed with street art. He starts to make a film about it, discovers Banksy and makes a film. But Banksy thinks his film is shit and ends up turning the camera on Guetta as he strives to make a name for himself as an artist.
J'aime les baguettes et danser dans la bibliotheque avec ma moustache!
All in all it’s pretty interesting stuff. I was intrigued by Banksy anyway, which is why I watched the film in the first place. So afterwards, I planted by butt in front of the computer to do a bit of research. And I find out what? That there’s mass speculation that the whole film is a massive hoax by Banksy.
But instead of being disappointed at the thought of being conned by another documentary, the notion that it might be fake just intrigues me even more. I mean, is Banksy just a lucky vandal or is he actually an out and out genius? I’m leaning for the latter.
The suspicion is that Thierry Guetta (or Mr. Brainwash, if you will) is just a ruse for Banksy himself; that he got this guy to act as Mr. Brainwash and that Banksy actually created all the artwork himself. Like with ‘Catfish’, the story works out very well. This guy just happens to film everything. He just happens upon street art. He just happens to get hooked up with Banksy. Banksy just happens to allow him to be the first ever person to film him at work. Thierry just happens to be a very comical and exaggerated Frenchman. It all just happens to go down in such a way that it makes a great documentary.
Banksy as he appears in the film... Good one..
The truth is, I really don’t care if this one is a fake. Roger Ebert reviewed this movie and said, “The widespread speculation that “Exit Through The Gift Shop” is a hoax only adds to its fascination.”
Thing is though, I don’t know if Banksy is actually all that. Now, don’t get me wrong. I think his work is inspired. He knows how to make a blatant statement and there’s no denying that his images are iconic. But there’s also no denying that the images he creates are pretty similar to those of the French street-artist who came before him, Blek Le Rat.
In the film we see Mr. Brainwash creating a mind-blowingly successful art show without once actually making a piece himself. He comes up with the idea and then he hires people to make it happen. I was watching it thinking, “Sure I could do that.” (But then I tend to think that about a lot of art.) Mr. Brainwash took the idea from Banksy and Banksy took it from Blek Le Rat.
Blek - Banksy - Mr. Brainwash
See, the fing wot makes Banksy so crazy fascinating, for me anyway, is his elusiveness. He’s been defacing properties around the world for a long time now. But we still don’t know who he is. His identity has remained a secret through triumph and controversy. And that has earned him a cult status. It makes him intriguing. The less we know of him, the more we want.
I think that if we knew who Banksy was we wouldn’t have half as much interest in his work. It’s his status as an anonymous renegade that makes him so hip. Over the years there has been vast speculation over his identity. Various photos have emerged claiming to show the real Banksy. Problem is, Banksy himself has had absolutely nothing to say about it. No comment. And less we get confirmation from the man himself, we’re non the wiser. All he has to do to protect himself is deny, deny, deny. Genius.
Banksy?
I like to think that it’s not a case of him being so good that noone’s ever caught him working, but rather, that after going anonymously for this long, there’s enough respect for Banksy that people (that’s us!) will keep his secret. Like, I reckon that if I was ambling down the street and I happened across Banksy, spray can and stencil in hand, that I wouldn’t tell. Actually, you’d feel a bit epic wouldn’t ya?! Like you were part of some awesome club of people who know who Banksy is. That’d be cool.
On one hand we desperately want to know who the renegade master is but on the other, we know that if we had a face to put to the art, the intrigue would be lost, Banksy would no longer be “the elusive Banksy” and we’d be left with just another pop culture artist like Shepard Fairey or Mr. Brainwash himself.
And that’s why the film is so captivating. Maybe it is real. Or maybe it’s just another genius piece of work concocted by the man who’s been having the last laugh since the 1990s. Either way, I like not knowing who Banksy is. I like not knowing if ‘Exit Through The Gift Shop’ is real or not and I like the comfort that comes with knowing that Banksy is out there somewhere, making a mockery of us all with his superior intelligence.
sureitsallabitofcraic 