So, what is art? It’s one of those questions that, try as we might, there is not a definitive answer. There are many roads we can go down to search for the truth, and it may lead us to a variety of conclusions (even revelations), but can there be a point where we spearhead exactly what defines art? In order to even try to get to the top of this hill, one must find different avenues of art to explore, and I was fortunate enough to be involved in a discussion of the documentary feature Exit Through the Gift Shop, directed by a “street artist” named Banksy. Here is a movie that rips the lid off the question that started all this, and tackles it by exposing us to a type of art not typically discussed.
One of the biggest questions surrounding Exit Through the Gift Shop is whether the movie is fact or fiction. Did Banksy stage the whole affair to make a statement about the commercialization of street art, or is the monster born out of Thierry Guetta real? It makes sense to let the movie have its cake and eat it too, because whether it is real or not, both sides of the argument make for compelling discussion. The fact that Thierry never truly understood the meaning behind what street artists (or any artists for that matter) are doing speaks volumes for either side of the coin.
When looking at street art, or even Thierry’s art, it seems as if the making of the art is more important than the art itself. After all, the function of street art looks to be self-promotion. By posting something repeatedly (whether it be the street artist’s style or repeating their logo), the street artist is able to make a name for themselves. An artist wants to be recognized, but in the case of street art, we can ask if posting something repeatedly is a form of artistic expression. To take this even further, is it still art if you destroy property to get yourself out there? Once you begin to vandalize buildings, art begins to lose its rules. Of course, the argument can be made about whether or not graffiti can even be considered an art form, especially since the law is broken to bring it to life.
Bansky makes a defense for street art by saying that spending money does not make good art. This is shown by the simplicity of the materials needed to create street art compared with the money and resources sunk into putting together Thierry’s pieces. While Bansky wants to send an individual message each time he marks up a wall, Thierry (or Mr. Brainwash, which is the name he gives himself as an artist), only cares about the money. Each artist wants to make an impression, but the intention behind it is completely different.
Mr. Brainwash is really trying to do just that by turning himself into some sort of a cultural icon, which opens up the question about whether or not these sorts of icons (which includes their creations) can be labeled as art. A perfect example is the golden arches. They were obviously designed by an artist, but when you look at the message, it’s all about triggering a particular response. When we see those arches, the first thing that should come to mind is a hamburger, meaning that the intention behind this icon is business, not artistic. If this is the case, we can begin to question whether or not it is fair to call marketing a form of art, especially considering the purpose is to coax people into buying things they don’t need. Sure, the artist had to be creative to come up with the marketing design, but that does not necessarily mean it is art. The simplest question we can ask after pondering on this is, what is the true role of an artist? Is it, as marketing would suggest, about having power over others?
A genuine piece of art will provide excellence and be relevant as time progresses. In the case of Exit Through the Gift Shop, we have to wonder if street art is still going to be worth discussing in 200 years. Yes, it may still be on the wall, but will anyone care? The answer lies in that art always fits into tradition. There’s no concrete way of knowing how long a piece of art must exist before it becomes tradition, so the best approach for the artist to take is to create art they hope will last forever. In other words, it needs to be able to go across generational lines. In regards to this last statement, how long the art lasts might not necessarily do with time, but the audience.
Before you can fairly create a piece of art (and call yourself an artist) or even judge a piece of art, it is essential that you study the history of art. It is the responsibility of the critic (at least a worthy critic) to lead others to study and discover art. Even if you disagree with the critic, it will help you explore a variety of different critics until you find one who fits your taste. That way, you will attain the proper guidance and knowledge of art. The kind of critic best searched for is the one who teaches as opposed to “critiquing.” Anyone can be a critic and try to understand what art is, but they need experience to really identify art and point others in the right direction. Is it safe to say Banksy is a critic of Mr. Brainwash? Could we say that with Exit Through the Gift Shop, Banksy has made the artist the subject (and criticism) of the art?
Once we begin to gain an understanding of art, we can begin to connect to it and it has the ability to unite us with others. That is part of the beauty of it…art is Universal. As we discuss and share art, we can then go deeper and ask ourselves about the nature of Truth. What is it, and can we know it, inside and out? Anyone is welcome to be a patron of the arts, but a decision we must make is what kind of art we will choose to patronize. If we begin to collect, do we do so because of popularity or because of appreciation? Look at Mr. Brainwash’s art show as a good overview in trying to distinguish the difference between the two. Why are all these people interested in what he has to offer? If you scan the paintings on display at his show, you can ask if he is an artist, or simply a creative organizer. And when you spot the similarities in what he is doing to famous art of the past, it begs us to ask if on some level, all art is derivative. It may not be true in the case of Mr. Brainwash, but it can be said that even if you did not create a particular genre, you are still able to try and perfect it. This goes back to the tradition of art, which includes repeating those traditions instead of creating something new.
In moving from street art (Banksy) to paintings (Mr. Brainwash), the question arises as to how long you can discuss one as opposed to the other. Can the same kind of discussion be had about a piece of street art? Can we find the same depth that we can in a painting? This question leads us to think about what drives a street artist to create in the first place. For that matter, what makes any artist feel the need to create? Whose glory is it for? Even if we as the patron are not able to answer these questions, art is able to challenge us to not only ask these questions, but also to discuss them. Even if we can’t find the truth, we can expand our understanding of art trying to get there. Exit Through the Gift Shop is a movie that is able to interestingly and entertainingly coax us to think about the nature and purpose of art. When put this way, we can say that the movie itself is a piece of art, as it follows what we know about the tradition of art. Like any good art, it can be studied for generations to come, as more and more people attempt, just as we have, to understand and appreciate what art (in all its beauty and diversity) truly is.
The above article was written in response to a discussion of the film Exit Through the Gift Shop, which can be listened to in its entirety here: A Discussion following “Exit Through the Gift Shop”. Exit Through the Gift Shop and the discussion are part of the Continuum Cinema Series. Lee Chase is a friend of The Continuum and a film critic. He has reviewed hundreds of films for various websites and audiences. His film analysis can be found at http://hellandbeyond-lee.blogspot.com/
