Exit Through The Gift Shop might be the documentary that begins where the 1982 documentary Style Wars, a film by Tony Silver and Henry Chalfont, ends. Thirty years later when graffiti has become internationally known as “street art,” not just a nuisance or vandalism. In Style Wars the filmmakers set out to tell the story of graffiti artists in New York City, their battle with the city, NY Transit Authority and to some extent among themselves. Mayor Koch compares doing graffiti to murder!
In addition to the historical context there are a number of parallel themes shared between Style Wars and Exit Through The Gift Shop. There is a sociological connection regarding the unseen, unappreciated, outside the establishment part of society demanding to be heard and recognized. Is graffiti a big scream that says, we are here, we are clever and if we choose to, we can create art or we can “spam” you! Another parallel is that “Exit” also looks at how all rebellions ultimately become, or get co-opted, by the establishment.
Exit, directed by Street Artist Banksy, begins with Thierry Guetta a Frenchman living in L A, who runs a trendy clothing shop. Thierry carries a camcorder everywhere he goes and compulsively shoots whatever interests him. After visiting his family in France, Thierry discovers that his cousin is a graffiti artist there, known as Enforcer. His cousin knows Shepard Fairey, a well-established L A street artist. When Thierry returns from France he contacts Fairey who agrees to let Thierry go with him while he works. Thierry tells Shepard he’s making a documentary film about graffiti and street art. But Thierry has no idea how to make a documentary; he’s just into the recording of events and everything he sees that interests him. He has hundreds of tapes sitting in boxes.
Fairey introduces Thierry to Banksy. Banksy allows Thierry to tag along with him on some of his excursions in L A and England. While Banksy likes Thierry he finally discovers that Thierry doesn’t know how to make a documentary. Banksy decides to make a documentary about Thierry incorporating some of Thierry’s footage.
The result is the evolution of Thierry going from nutty guy with camera, to recording street artists at work, through his morphing into self styled street artist and entrepreneur. All of this against the backdrop of serious established street artists like Fairley and Banksy. This results in a pretty comprehensive look at the “street art” world in a few countries.
This film incorporates a number of approaches to documentary filmmaking. The footage that Thierry contributes is old school Direct Cinema, as “fly-on-the-wall” as you can get at times. Once Banksy gets involved there is a Cinema Verite activist approach combined with interviews, music and a third party narrator.
Exit Through the Gift Shop is entertaining and at the same time a candid look at what the Graffiti and Street Art movement has become. In many respects Banksy is holding up a mirror to himself, other Street Artists and the Art World about the commercialization of Art and Artists.
After seeing a ninety-minute cut of Thierry’s attempt to make a documentary out of his random footage, Banksy suggests to Thierry that maybe he should go home and try doing some street art himself, according to Banksy, never dreaming what Thierry would end up doing.
As in all documentary efforts you have to wonder how much the filmmakers facilitated the story by even their mere presence. How much did Banksy enable Thierry to recreate himself as a Street Artist? This is something one may ever know. As a documentary filmmaker you go where the story takes you.
Exit Through The Gift Shop is well worth spending some time watching. It’s an independent documentary with a story to tell. It is sociological and anthropological to some extent. Edited and paced well; an entertaining night out with Street Artists. And when the dawn comes up, an illuminated glimpse into the contemporary commercial art world.
From a purist documentary standpoint one might consider the implications that come to mind, in that there must be a contractual/financial agreement between Banksy, Thierry and perhaps Fairey. This contract might give everyone a financial interest in the documentary, after all there is Thierry’s footage in the film. Some sort of buyout is a possibility. This contract would probably give Banksy “creative control,” of the film. It also might provide for everyone keeping Banksy’s identity secret. As nutty as Thierry may appear he isn’t slow when it comes to money. Banksy having creative control would give him the space to make a serious documentary.
The Exit Through The Gift Shop DVD comes with some post cards, stickers and a pair of 2D glasses that may add a couple more spectral dimensions to looking out the window while screening the film. Satire, with a few ironic twists, often reveals more truth than reality.
J R Martin - Author: Create Documentary Films, Videos and Multimedia
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Theatrical Trailer UK Banksy
