Starring: Banksy, Thierry Guetta
Rated: R for some language
Undermining our common perception that artists are looking for glory, the recent documentary Exit Through the Gift Shop shows us a different side of art; street art. However, because of it’s illegal nature, the artist must remain incognito, rather than reveal his identity and face legal consequences. The film follows Thierry, an obsessive fan, who is ever searching for the worldwide recognized and elusive Banksy, the Michaelangelo of street art, who is also called an art terrorist, yet who’s identity is still unknown. While the film fails to really wrestle with the morality of an art form based in vandalism, it does show how art loses its significance and meaning when art (especially novice art) is commercialized rather than makes a statement. As juxtaposed by Bansky and Thierry’s view of street art (and brilliantly by the last shot of the film), the value of art is it’s impact; when art fails to say anything, it matters very little how much it’s sold for. Because of this, and the rather entertaining value of the film, Banksy is elevated from artist to philosopher. Thierry is neither.
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