Banksy Film - Exit Through The Gift Shop
Discussion
dave-therave said:
Watched this last night 
Found it very entertaining with some genuine laugh out loud moments. Personally I think it's all a bit of a hoax and a way to stick 2 fingers up at the art industry but either way, I enjoyed it.
I'm not convinced that Bansky is even a single person. Found it very entertaining with some genuine laugh out loud moments. Personally I think it's all a bit of a hoax and a way to stick 2 fingers up at the art industry but either way, I enjoyed it.
Much more likely a group of people imo.
dave-therave said:
Watched this last night
Found it very entertaining with some genuine laugh out loud moments. Personally I think it's all a bit of a hoax and a way to stick 2 fingers up at the art industry but either way, I enjoyed it.
Have just watched the film and must say I really enjoyed it. Everything in the film I'd personally say is 100% genuine even down to Banksy being featured as the hooded guy sitting next to the monkey mask and the 'Monkey queen' prints, which rather surprised me tbh. Rather than a 'film' I'd call it a documentary.Found it very entertaining with some genuine laugh out loud moments. Personally I think it's all a bit of a hoax and a way to stick 2 fingers up at the art industry but either way, I enjoyed it.
I'll try to keep this short
Have been interested in Banksy since 2002 when my brother bought me a print of the 'Monkey Queen' for Christmas and since then have been hooked.
It took a while before I could find where to buy other prints but eventually found 'Pictures On Walls' where I started buying as soon as I could afford them. At the time an unsigned print would sell between £25 and £40, the £10 note which you see featured in the film was sold in limited numbers for £10 each, I was able to stretch to a couple
. Unfortunately I had little money at the time so had to be very choosy what I bought and was never able to push to anything signed. 
Also bought a lot of the other artists work that also feature in the film such as 'Invader' and 'Shepard Fairy' etc.
A few years later I was invited to join a new forum where my 'Monkey Queen', after giving a few details, was authenticated by a member. That member went under a name which I forget now, but for some reason at the time, signed off as Banksy which I thought was a bit strange tbh. He later changed his name soon after that. I left the forum a few years later due to the every increasing popularity and inevitable nob heads it attracted. I've no idea if this guy was Banksy, just that it seemed a little strange.
During my time as a member, we would get informed about unveiling's that would take place of sculptures etc with very limited free invitations so that we could go a view them before they where hastily removed by the authorities. These unveiling's where predominantly based in London, one of which you see is of the bent up Telephone box in the film. The video's and pictures of unveiling's would then be posted for all to see
As far as I'm concerned, all of what you see in that film is real and nothing is faked.
As far as I know, Banksy has only ever done one other interview which was done with a presenter of an art program ( I forget which now unfortunately ) and conducted over a telephone. It was done quite a few years ago now but that was the same voice that was used at the time and the one I was expecting to hear in the film.
Personally I have no reason to believe it is anybody else other than Banksy that featured in the film. Hiding the identity of an actor would be pointless unless the film was a hoax....which it isn't.
I'm no expert but that's my thoughts anyway
Edited by Westy Pre-Lit on Saturday 11th September 21:56
Very interesting stuff I'd love to get a print myself but the prices nowadays are a bit rich for me. Sadly driven up by people who want an investment rather than art lovers but such is life. Nowadays I'm looking at more unknown artists and creating my own.
I should clarify that I definitely thought it was Banksy rather than an actor, what I meant was that the whole "Mr Brainwash" as an artist seemed like a hoax. All the art was just far too cliche (Campbell's soup spray can? really?) to be real and the whole "overnight celebrity artist" thing just seemed like something Banksy would do to take the piss out of the art industry and its critics.
I could obviously be wrong but either way I thought it was excellent.
I'd love to get a print myself but the prices nowadays are a bit rich for me. Sadly driven up by people who want an investment rather than art lovers but such is life. Nowadays I'm looking at more unknown artists and creating my own. I should clarify that I definitely thought it was Banksy rather than an actor, what I meant was that the whole "Mr Brainwash" as an artist seemed like a hoax. All the art was just far too cliche (Campbell's soup spray can? really?) to be real and the whole "overnight celebrity artist" thing just seemed like something Banksy would do to take the piss out of the art industry and its critics.
I could obviously be wrong but either way I thought it was excellent.
TBH I haven't really followed the whole Banksy thing for a while now, partly due to the forum that went a bit pants and affordability of the pieces. Having done a bit of Googling tonight there seems to have been another forum set up as there's been apparently a lot of unrest so might have to do a bit of digging later
This is the first time I've ever heard of the 'Mr Brainwash' fella which I'm quite surprised about tbh considering. I don't ever recall hearing his name mentioned before or seeing any of his work, although the face with the camera image looks strangely familiar for some reason. There also seemed to be a definite break in the film from where he came from, meeting and filming of Banksy and the other artists to just being about 'Mr Brainwash' the artist and what he's up to if that makes sense.
Thinking about it and having quick look at his work on Ebay though I see what you mean about being a piss take etc.
Saying all that though, i'd say Banksy only really took off because of the sales of his work on Ebay and holding a few public exhibitions also seen in the film. For quite few years I could buy relatively cheaply until he became well known through small sound bites on TV then rapidly rising costs of his work as more and more people heard about him.
The price of his work I'd say rocketed in the space of about a year, where it finally came unaffordable for me. Basically Prices on Ebay would change on a weekly basis where a £50 to £100 rise was common place. I was gutted really so started looking at other artists. Was never really interested in making money from it ( stupid really considering how it's all gone now ) but bought the art more for what the image said to me. I have only ever came close to selling once, but so far kept the lot. At times I really could have done with the money but went without things so I could hold onto them.
The rising interest also bought out a lot of other street artists as it hit the headlines and a lot of work did end up looking the same...well kinda anyway. Must say I do agree that that 'Mr Brainwash' does have more of cliche look to it though, but looking at a lot of others when they started they tended to sort of copy Banksy's idea's until they found their own style. One example I can think that's in the film is of the Marylin Monroe (Kate Moss Banksy) style image by 'Mr Brainwash'.
Maybe he's Banksy, Maybe 'Mr Brainwash' is a way of getting the art back to the people who buy for the image rather than for the monetary value. I suspect this work will rocket in value purely because of the film and the intrigue it has created, so taking the piss out of the critics and arty farty types once again, who knows. Might have to watch the film again.....that's a shame
As a note a friend of my brothers sold an original signed Banksy canvas which he bought in a market I think for £50. It sold a few years back for £45,000 IIRC.
Every time I go to London now I'm on the look out and can spot a Banksy from a mile away. My brother also recently sent me a picture of a small rat in Brighton that his 5 year out kid spotted as she was playing on the beach.
This is the first time I've ever heard of the 'Mr Brainwash' fella which I'm quite surprised about tbh considering. I don't ever recall hearing his name mentioned before or seeing any of his work, although the face with the camera image looks strangely familiar for some reason. There also seemed to be a definite break in the film from where he came from, meeting and filming of Banksy and the other artists to just being about 'Mr Brainwash' the artist and what he's up to if that makes sense.
Thinking about it and having quick look at his work on Ebay though I see what you mean about being a piss take etc.
Saying all that though, i'd say Banksy only really took off because of the sales of his work on Ebay and holding a few public exhibitions also seen in the film. For quite few years I could buy relatively cheaply until he became well known through small sound bites on TV then rapidly rising costs of his work as more and more people heard about him.
The price of his work I'd say rocketed in the space of about a year, where it finally came unaffordable for me. Basically Prices on Ebay would change on a weekly basis where a £50 to £100 rise was common place. I was gutted really so started looking at other artists. Was never really interested in making money from it ( stupid really considering how it's all gone now ) but bought the art more for what the image said to me. I have only ever came close to selling once, but so far kept the lot. At times I really could have done with the money but went without things so I could hold onto them.
The rising interest also bought out a lot of other street artists as it hit the headlines and a lot of work did end up looking the same...well kinda anyway. Must say I do agree that that 'Mr Brainwash' does have more of cliche look to it though, but looking at a lot of others when they started they tended to sort of copy Banksy's idea's until they found their own style. One example I can think that's in the film is of the Marylin Monroe (Kate Moss Banksy) style image by 'Mr Brainwash'.
Maybe he's Banksy, Maybe 'Mr Brainwash' is a way of getting the art back to the people who buy for the image rather than for the monetary value. I suspect this work will rocket in value purely because of the film and the intrigue it has created, so taking the piss out of the critics and arty farty types once again, who knows
. Might have to watch the film again.....that's a shame As a note a friend of my brothers sold an original signed Banksy canvas which he bought in a market I think for £50. It sold a few years back for £45,000 IIRC.
Every time I go to London now I'm on the look out and can spot a Banksy from a mile away. My brother also recently sent me a picture of a small rat in Brighton that his 5 year out kid spotted as she was playing on the beach.
Edited by Westy Pre-Lit on Sunday 12th September 09:57
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