I was disappointed that:
1) Banksy didn’t pull any inspiring art stunts at the Oscars; and
2) That his brilliant documentary “Exit Through the Gift Shop” didn’t win an Oscar.
Still, pondering the mysterious graffiti artist’s documentary started me thinking about films I’ve seen lately that address the travails and adventures of an artistic career. So this week, I’ll feature one such film every day.
I’ll start with Banksy’s own “Exit Through the Gift Shop.” I was lucky enough to watch the film screened in my friends’ backyard. A big crowd had gathered for the showing and was lounging in camping chairs. The film started as darkness fell.
We were mesmerized by the story of the eccentric French man who became obsessed with documenting the most well-known and prolific graffiti street artists of our time. As I watched the French man’s footage of infamous graffiti artists Space Invader, Shepard Fairey and Banksy climbing down the sides of buildings under cover of darkness for a chance to make their renegade art, I couldn’t help but a feel a profound longing for such joyful risktaking.
One of the high points of the film is when Banksy himself sneaks into Disneyland and attaches a blow up, lifesize replica of a Guantanamo prisoner to a fence right by a rollercoaster, so that the rollercoaster riders fly by the hooded “prisoner.” (See the video below).
The film takes an interesting twist as Banksy moves from street artist to a member of the “legitimate” art world; and the French man follows suit, his fascination with documenting unorthodox art for art’s sake morphing into an obsession with creating mechanized, commodified art for the sake of money and prestige.
This film is a must see for anyone who has struggled with frustration at seeing crap art glorified, or questioned whether her own art is worthwhile even if unacknowledged.
