Exit Through the Gift Shop Response

                What if you were to be placed into a party setting for a comfortable and respected job and you say “hello” to your co-worker, who is accompanied by a friend. The group, including you, engages in a conversation to which you ask the co-worker’s friend, “So, what is your occupation?” The friend replies, “I am an artist.” Suppose you are a fan of art and find it fascinating so you dig deeper into the conversation and ask what kind of art they do. The friend replies back, with a small grin on their face, “I am a graffiti artist and tend to deface buildings and speak out against political ideas for the sake of art and its beauty.” What would be your individual thoughts, feelings and emotions at the time? How do you feel about beautiful and creative art that is completely illegal?

            These are the questions that circulate in your mind as you watch “Exit Through the Gift Shop” a documentary film that is shot by Thierry Guetta and directed by Banksy. Thierry Guetta has one obsession in the documentary: filming. He takes his video camera wherever he goes, whether it is a family outing, entertainment, or even the bathroom. This obsession is what actually creates the film. Guetta takes a trip to France, where he was born, and finds out that his cousin is involved with an underground movement in graffiti art. He begins to follow his cousin, “Space Invader”, around the city at night filming while “Invader” puts up his signature mosaic art. He eventually brings his cousin to Los Angeles where they meet with another graffiti artist, Shepard Fairey, and inspired by the beauty and risk; Guetta decides to make a documentary about street art.

            For Guetta to create a documentary on street art, he needed to meet different artists and film their stunts. However, there was one artist that seemed unreachable, which made Guetta pursue even harder. Banksy was the elusive artist that had been tagging buildings and signs all over the world and when Guetta heard of Banksy’s arrival in Los Angeles, he jumped at the opportunity to film him. Thierry began to follow Banksy around the country. Eventually, Banksy sparked interest in the life of Guetta and the documentary became about Thierry Guetta, directed by Banksy.

            In “Exit Through the Gift Shop”, Banksy was a shade-like figure that roamed mysteriously through cities with much to say about politics and social structure/ideas. Throughout the entire documentary and still to this day, Banksy has stayed anonymous. The posed question is: What does the anonymity of Banksy say to the audience and to the ideas behind his work? Banksy is a very entertaining character and the question of who he is, makes him that much more entertaining. There is a fixation in society, about finding out the real truths. This is the reason for conspiracies television shows, spoilers for movies, and different religions. Everyone has their own opinions and they are always looking for ways to prove their opinion into fact. This is the same idea with Banksy. Once targeted as a certain person, people will care less because there is a lack for suspicion and wonder to go only with the name “Banksy”.

            The anonymity of Banksy is also a very well thought out way to relay the thought’s of Banksy, himself. Banksy does not want to be known and praised for his art work, so he stays anonymous, showing that he does not care about fame and fortune. He even says in the documentary that he is not looking for money or a surge in popularity, when talking about his first art show in the United States. He actually talks to Thierry about a plot to drop his earnings from a building for people to catch at the bottom. Anonymity equals passion; a passion for a certain person, place, or thing that is important and is done for pure entertainment. Banksy is an ideal figure with this ideal.