Exit Through the Gift Shop is a (fake) documentary made by Banksy, who is a reclusive street art legend. If anyone has to do a movie on the subject, there’s no better man to feature than him. This film shows a history of street art and then some.
In Exit Through the Gift Shop, Thierry Guetta is the filmmaker who wants to make a documentary on street art and he likes Banksy to be part of it. He has several hours’ worth of footage on tape and he thinks that Banksy’s presence will make it complete.
After successfully tracking down Banksy and recording him while doing his art, Guetta tries his best to condense all the footages into a single tape. The result is rubbish and Banksy wants to redo the editing.
Banksy: Warhol repeated iconic images until they became meaningless, but there was still something iconic about them. Thierry really makes them meaningless.
Guetta transforms himself into Mr. Brainwash, a street artist who manages to get the attention of the LA art crowd. He sells art works for a million bucks, much to the dismay of Banksy and other legitimate street artists. Guetta’s documentary about Banksy turns into Banksy’s documentary on Guetta.
Exit Through the Gift Shop is an excellent introduction to street art. Aside from Banksy and Guetta, it features other artists such as Space Invader, Zeus, Borf, and more. It is narrated by Rhys Ifans and has cameo appearances from the likes of Christina Aguilera and Beck.
I’ve always been curious about Banksky and his identity. After watching this documentary, he remains a mystery but somehow I get a feeling that I know him better than before. Exit Through the Gift Shop is an entertaining movie and a must watch for everyone.
