I watched Exit Through the Gift Shop (2010) recently not knowing very much about the film or its background. As far as I was aware it was a film about some guy making a film about Banksy. What I watched on this level of ignorance was a fine documentary that was complex and eye opening about the secretive world of street artists, the flippant nature of contemporary art and the iron fisted security of Disney Land. I watched the film and was very impressed, the hype was justified and then I wanted to find out more.
Recently Thierry Guetta accepted an award on behalf of Banksy for the film at the Independent Spirit Awards in California. This seems an odd thing considering Guetta a.k.a Mr Brainwash seemingly annoyed Banksy considerably through his behaviour in the film. It seems that there is something else going on in Exit Through the Gift Shop. Many people now believe that Guetta and Banksy have constructed the rise of Mr Brainwash in an attempt to show the problems with fashionable art and the money that is spent on what is in vogue.
This then leads to questions regarding this documentary film and the truth. If the events are constructed does the film lend itself to being a true representation of events? Does this really matter? Although the primary vehicle of the film may be constructed, the message that it consequently provokes is certainly not. This film raises real issues relevant about how many times art can reference itself and others and still remain creative. And also when the rest of the world is facing financial hardship, prices of multi coloured skulls and tomato soup spray paints are higher than ever.
