Exit Through the Gift Shop

Last night my eyes feasted on a story I barely expected to know. For some time now, I have enjoyed art, I’ve attempted it, and I’ve studied it from a distance. In the art section of any given book store, I was not indulging in Picasso, Monet, or even Frida Carlo. No, I would delve in the mostly anonymous- the illegal- graffiti.

Compilations have immortalized the street art movement, the world over, through photography. But last night I got to see the story through moving footage. I was able to see the process of so many pieces which can be recognized from the pages of books- as they were being made. This was all unexpectedly portrayed in a small movie theater, The Ritz 5, which plays independent and international films. The documentary, “Exit Through the Gift Shop,” was selected nearly at random- and then enjoyed...for some of it’s elements.

You see, much of the footage was captured by the obsessive personality of a Frenchman, Terry. How Terry got tangled up in the world of street art was a happenstance. It seemed as he stumbled along, unemployed- free to travel the world- he was unknowingly collecting rare footage. He wound up meeting, mixing, and mingling with some of the most prominent street artists as his obsession grew (Banksy, Shepard Fairey, Space Invader, ect). It left a trail of footage in his wake- even though he never knew how to compose it. I guess you would think Thierry Guetta was an amazing guy, but I think he was just lucky. This is a true story- mind you, and at the end of it I don’t think much of Thierry- but I do enjoy what he did... behind the camera anyway.

Later in the film Thierry had his hand at doing street art himself, rather than just watching. By this time, the art movement had already moved from the streets into galleries. It kind of disgusted me that Thierry was able to make over a million dollars in sales on his completely under thought, over scaled debut showcase. All he did was emulate the process he’d been watching, then uninhibitedly pay a staff of artists to comprise the elements of mostly unoriginal images. Futhermore, the huge “success” was based mostly on hype, with well over 2,000 people suckered into attending the event.

Other than that, I left the small theater fairly inspired. It has been some time since I have done much art, and I think I might just pick up my blade again in these next few days, or at very least, a pencil. It has been even longer since I have used a can of spray paint- but I may just have to wander down to the store to pick a few up. I have never tagged- and am not saying that I will. I think I’m too chicken-shit about getting caught. But that doesn’t mean I can’t make my own creations- on my terms- with a fresh mind and a smile painted across my face, more real than the one I wear to work.