Tagging, You're It

My brother (not pictured) made a movie recommendation that I (also not pictured) had to take him up on.

He told me I should see a film called "Exit Through The Gift Shop."

To be perfectly honest, as he explained it to me on facebook chat, I sort of tuned out (maybe it's because that chat is so sporatic).

Oh here comes professor Jon with another of his movies that no one has heard of, I bet it's subtitled. Throw in the word "noir" and he'd be pitching a pants-tent.

Dude was right though (as usual).

This movie is outstanding and you should go see it yesterday.
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I don't want to get TOO into the plot of the movie.

It's a documentary that explores street art and the artists.

The reason I don't want to tell you the story is because the movie does such a better job than I ever could.

It unfolds in a clear and fascinating way.

So rather than talk about plot, I'd rather discuss some of the ideological questions that the film raises.
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The movie explores the legitimatization of graffiti artists.

Basically, these artists go from petty criminals, to high-demand artists selling their work for hundreds of thousands of dollars at auction houses.

After the movie, I went across Sunset Place to Barnes Ignoble where they were selling a big book with the work of Banksy, one of the artists profiled in the film.

How does that impact your work?

It becomes hard to "keep it real" when all of a sudden everything you do, is adored by the people you abhor.

Mock me, I'll give you 100K for it.

It inevitably changes you.

I think that's why the word "gift shop" worked its way into the title.

It's not just about art, it's about commerce and the nature of selling out.

The "selling" isn't in there by accident.
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There's also a struggle once this art is legitimatized that copy-cats come in and steal credibility.

So here are these artists, they've risked arrest, their lives (you'd be amazed by the lengths they have to go to to put their art on cities)... and they've achieved what they claim they don't want: legitimacy.

And now, others come in and poach their style having paid none of the dues.

The originals want to rip these copy-cats.

The problem is: The whole point to their art is, there are no rules.

So what now?

Street graffiti isn't the only medium where this takes place: music, books, just about any art form.

It's like listening to hip-hop on Y100, is it real hip-hop anymore? Do the artists care if they're on their yacht?
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The nature of art vs. vandalism is an inherent subtext to any discussion of this modern art form.

It's beautiful when you look at it on the movie screen.

Not so much fun when someone tags your storefront.

The lines between artist, criminal, and fraud are thin, and that's sort of the point of the movie.

Is the protagonist a genius, a fake, a madman, a tagger, a filmmaker, or as he professes to be Mr. Brainwash?

I'm not sure.

But I sure enjoyed the heck out of the movie.