Street Art Doc Exit Through the Gift Shop Opens Today

Opening with the crooning strains of Richard Hawley's "Tonight The Streets Are Ours" over a montage of clips featuring artists wheat pasting work, tagging walls, climbing buildings and running from the cops, Exit Through the Gift Shop immediately draws us into the world of street art, specifically the tale of Thierry Guetta's rise from fashion store owner to successful street artist, Mr. Brainwash. Billed as a Banksy film, we didn't realize until after the screening that there has been some minor speculation that the entire film itself may be another well-executed prank by the elusive street artist, who is famous for works displayed in locations spanning from post-hurricane New Orleans to the separation barrier on the Palestinian West Bank. Even if Exit Through the Gift Shop is an elaborate hoax, it feels very real and doesn't necessarily have to be fact for us to gain wisdom and insight into this niche community.

Head hooded and voice electronically masked, Banksy introduces us to Guetta, a family man with an obsession for documentation through film. Guetta becomes involved in the street art movement via the French artist Space Invader, who also happens to be his cousin. Camera in hand, Guetta follows Space Invader, filming non-stop as he tags streets with characters from the classic video game. Guetta soon falls in love with the art and the danger involved in creating it. His obsession changes from simply documenting anything to filming these artists as they leave their mark on cities all over the world. Guetta claims to be filming a documentary, which makes it much easier for him to meet and follow some of the most notorious artists such as Shepard Fairey and Banksy himself.

Guetta soon becomes Banksy's right hand man, assisting him in finding prime locations for presentation, documenting the creation of art that is usually destroyed—depending on how fast the city's clean up crew can take it down—and covering for him in sticky situations. After Banksy's 2006 Barely Legal art show in Los Angeles, it becomes apparent that the movement is getting significant recognition from the art world. Pieces are being auctioned off for thousands of dollars and serious art enthusiasts are adding street art to their collections. Knowing that he has gathered countless hours of footage over the past several years, Banksy asks Guetta to finally create his documentary to explain to the public what their art is really about. Spoiler alert: it was never about the money.

Guetta definitely seems like he could be totally bonkers, but one thing that can be said for him—which is obvious through his interviews and even stated by the other artists—he is passionate, and passion can be respected, but even the highest level of passion doesn't always yield the best results. Guetta's documentary on the movement turns out to be a total failure. As a result, Banksy suggests that he focus his energies on becoming an artist himself. After throwing all his money and resources into an explosive debut art show, Guetta becomes street artist Mister Brainwash and is welcomed by the art community. Exit poses several questions about the validity of art, what it means to be an artist and how far a person can go when driven only by mad passion.

Exit Through the Gift Shop shouldn't be missed; it's one of the funniest, most inspiring and interesting documentaries that we've seen in a very long time. It has a limited run at the Alamo South Lamar and the Regal Arbor starting today, May 14th.

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