Exit Through the Gift Shop

[peter]

Saw the above named documentary/mockumentary last night which tells the story of the british street artist Bansky making a documentary about the French film maker/street artist/clothes retailer Thierry Guetta making a documentary about Bansky. Questions remain as to whether the film is 'for real' or a Bansky organised hoax - or if indeed the charachter Thierry Guetta exists at all
Lets take it first as for real. In this case one comes away with a sympathy for Guetta that stems from his undeniable 'likableness' as a charachter and the fact that it is always nice to see the little guy come out on top against all the odds. (Nb The LA art exhibition 'Life is Beautiful' depicted in the film did indeed take place in 2008 so Guetta, who's show it was, has exhisted for at least that long). If the events did indeed transpire as narrated, then only the most churlish of misanthropes could deny him his sucess - such is the nature of the film that at the end one cannot tell if Guetta is real or not, and if he is real is the documentary for real or not and if it is, is he (Guetta) a great artist ...... or not!
Bansky himself remains shrouded under his hoodie throughout with his voice digitallt altered, all in the name of preserving his much vaunted annonimity and mystique. He tells the story gently and with good humour about how this (quite possibly mentally ill) frenchman came into his life on a trip to LA he had made in order to perform some work. Being the cousin of a well known LA street artist Guetta was introduced to Bansky (so the story goes) to show him where the good spots to place work were to be found in LA. The two became friends and some while later, in order to get Guetta away for a while, while he (Bansky) tried to pick the bones out of Guetta's awful attempt at docmentary making, he suggested that Guetta return to LA from the UK and do some work - maybe even hold a small exhibition for himself. To his bemusement Guetta did this and more. He sold his shop, remortgaged his home and started preparing an exhibition of the size a well established artist would be envious of. The art work was apparently awful, churned out by Guetta in huge quantities and with little thought - but by judicious use of endorsements from Bansky and other well respected street artists he generated a ground swell of exitement that manifested itself in two thousand people visiting the show on it's first day. Mr BrainWash (Guetta's new alter-ego) still desighns art and has sell-out shows to this day. At the end of the film we see Bansky and a few other street artists ruefully commenting on the monster they have created. Bansky's final shrouded comment to the camera is the rather whistfull "I used to tell everyone I met to get out there and do some art. I don't tend to do that anymore."

If however the whole thing is a hoax - and with Banksy it could easily be - then it is a good one. The film was Oscar nominated in the 'Best Documentary' catagory and is a good watch. In respect of the vaue of the work these guys do as 'Art', I have my reservations. It's clever, no doubt. It's well drawn and uses perspective in wierd and wonderfull ways -yes - but is it art. To me it is closer to great desighn than to great art. Don't quiz me on that because I don't think I can put into words what I really mean. Love the pictures and the cleverness as I do, I just don't get the aesthetic.

I must admit I *want* the story to be for real but I do have my doubts. I like Thierry and somehow the world would be a better place if things like this could happen. But.....

(Ps. Some people think Banksy ans Thierry Guetta are one and the same person)

[Hashi Lebwohl]

It is typically impossible to tell what is real and what is not with Banksy. I, myself, suspect that Banksy and Guetta are the same person which would make this movie an autobiographical story.

This sort of uncertainty will always happen when someone tries to be a public celebrity yet remain essentially anonymous--we can't believe anything they tell us if we don't know who they are.

[peter]

Yes - on the face of it the film is good entertaining viewing, but it becomes a slippier animal altogether once one becomes aware that the lines between truth and fiction are being blured and quite possibly at the viewers expense.