Exit Through The Gift Shop

Graffiti - no - street art in Hamilton, Ohio

I am so oblivious to my surroundings sometimes. Then someone will turn my head for me, speak to me and explain what is going on, and I will be amazed that I missed something that was right in front of my eyes.

Such is the case with street art.

Unfortunately, I do not have an artistic “eye.” Until someone tells me what I’m looking at, I’m not sure. So as I’ve wandered around for the past decade and spotted graffiti and murals painted on the sides of buildings, all I saw was vandalism by people who wanted to make their mark on the world and thought that spray-painting their names on concrete overpasses and tunnels accomplished that.

I could tell that some spray paintings were more elaborate than others. But so often they involved skulls and crossbones or fantasy creatures that it was still lost on me. What were they trying to say? Or were they, like schoolchildren, just doodling on concrete canvases instead of notebook covers? I didn’t really consider these works “art.”

Then I watched “Exit Through the Gift Shop.”  How eye-opening! Again, I needed someone to turn my head, show me the work, and explain it to me. Now that they have, I am astounded at all I’ve missed! Would you believe that I went to a Shepard Fairey exhibit and had no idea that it was a display of street art? I thought it was interesting that his paintings seemed to be on newsprint, and I read the small plaques next to his Andre the Giant “OBEY” prints. I didn’t really get it. And was sure I was missing some important political message with all of his Marxist theory prints (that weren’t mentioned in the film).

I am so obtuse.

I’d also never heard of Space Invader, Banksy, or Mister Brainwash. But now I’m intrigued. I would be thrilled to stumble upon Banksy’s work as I traipse around a city. When I go to Paris, I will look for the Rubik’s cube Space Invader pieces. I am looking forward to discovering that art more than touring the Louvre or the Picasso Museum. It sounds like a fun treasure hunt.

Banksy, Fairey, and Mister Brainwash turned the heads of people like me in “Exit Through the Gift Shop.” They directed our gaze to the artwork that is right in front of us. They promoted the street art movement and now I’m viewing it with new appreciation.

But my naiveté does not end there.

I watched the film without knowing that it is widely believed to be a hoax. Many critics do not believe that Thierry Guetta even exists. Some have put this documentary on par with “The Blair Witch Project.” It made me pause and reconsider the film. If it is a hoax, I think I like it even more, because it is yet another work of experimental art.

What else is going on around me that I’m missing?