I was telling Alastair that I really like Bansky's street art. He told me to see Exit Through the Gift Shop which is a film made, I discover, by Banksy. I finally watched it on TV; I loved it! It spoke volumes!
What's it about? I am going to stick my neck out here because having read a few reviews of it and also the Banksy website for the film I have not found anything which, to my way of thinking, addresses what this film is actually about ... namely, how art in the form of painting, has become a commodity.
This really well-written Guardian article written when the film came out over a year ago (!) says lots of things about what goes on in the film and concludes that Banksy "could be an important artist or just a silly fad – either way, in the street and with this film, he's providing pleasure while he lasts." He just doesn't get it!
I love this artist's irreverence! To me his creations (let's be clear: the guy can draw and his work is highly original!) are about throwing metaphorical ... well, visual, actually ... custard pies at the arbiters of style and taste that are in our culture ... I suppose they could be any culture. He is like the wee boy in the story of the Emperor's New Clothes. (This Hans Christian Anderson moral tale is about an Emperor who loved beautiful clothes and was told by his weavers that the invisible ones they made for him were very beautiful. Everyone went along with this. This was fine until a wee boy shouted out upon seeing him "but he's not wearing anything!")
So who are these people who decide what is art, what goes into art galleries, what has value and commands high prices in the art shows and sale rooms? Who buys "art" by whatever definition you want to give it, and why? It's all in the story line.
The best bit of all is the title: "Exit Through the Gift Shop", i.e. viewing works of art are about "come and see stuff in the gallery and we have made sure you cannot get out of the building without buying a mug or a mouse mat en route".
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Images of Banksy website.
This really well-written Guardian article written when the film came out over a year ago (!) says lots of things about what goes on in the film and concludes that Banksy "could be an important artist or just a silly fad – either way, in the street and with this film, he's providing pleasure while he lasts." He just doesn't get it!
I love this artist's irreverence! To me his creations (let's be clear: the guy can draw and his work is highly original!) are about throwing metaphorical ... well, visual, actually ... custard pies at the arbiters of style and taste that are in our culture ... I suppose they could be any culture. He is like the wee boy in the story of the Emperor's New Clothes. (This Hans Christian Anderson moral tale is about an Emperor who loved beautiful clothes and was told by his weavers that the invisible ones they made for him were very beautiful. Everyone went along with this. This was fine until a wee boy shouted out upon seeing him "but he's not wearing anything!")
So who are these people who decide what is art, what goes into art galleries, what has value and commands high prices in the art shows and sale rooms? Who buys "art" by whatever definition you want to give it, and why? It's all in the story line.
The best bit of all is the title: "Exit Through the Gift Shop", i.e. viewing works of art are about "come and see stuff in the gallery and we have made sure you cannot get out of the building without buying a mug or a mouse mat en route".
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here
http://www.banksyfilm.com/press.html?reload
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