Theft by Mr. Brainwash

     Exit through the Gift Shop is a movie that shows how the passion, talents, and message of many artists were robbed and exploited by one man who many trusted as their friend. This was the same man who had set out to show the world the talents and art that these young artist had created. Sadly, Terry Guetta, the man who exploited these artist while under the name Mr. Brainwash, did not understand the message and meaning that these artist were trying so show the public.
     Originally, Terry Guetta had set out to document the underground life of a street artist. Many street artist, including some more notorious ones such as Shepard Fairey and Banksy, took Guetta under their wing and gave and in depth look into the life of a street artist. The artist trusted Guetta and believed that he would one day be able to show the world the message and ideas that they had intended. The artist showed Guetta how to create street art and properly post the art around the city. After countless hours and nights of videotaping, many of the artist wondered when they would finally be able to see the work on tape. Eventually, they asked Guetta to create the documentary and show the world their work. What the artist did not know was that Terry Guetta did not know how to do this. When Guetta finally released the documentary, the artist were shocked at the footage.
     After watching the documentary, Banksy told Terry Guetta that he would work on the movie. In the mean time, Banksy told Guetta to work on his own street art. Banksy would eventually wish to take back these words.  Guetta took what he had learned from the artist and created his own street art, however there was something different about his street art. Guetta created his art by copying the format by other street artist. Eventually Guetta did something that was very rare for a street artist. He created a private gallery. He used his art to achieve great fame and wealth. This is the complete opposite goal for most street artist.
     The movie is sets out to show how one man, Terry Guetta, misunderstood the message and beliefs thats most street artist shared. What Banksy wanted to show in his documentary, was that street artist do not create their art for the fame or money. They create their art to share with the public their ideas or messages. This is what Terry Guetta failed to realize. He used and underground art to gain fame and fortune. He did not do it for the message. Guetta took the art of street art and made money off of it as well as selling out the other street artist. The message of th e movie seems to be that Terry Guetta took the messages of the street and put them in the homes of the wealthy, rendering the art meaningless.
     The work of Mr. Brainwash varies greatly from those of other street artist. Mr. Brainwash's art seems to revolve around him. His first forms of street art are pictures of himself. He posted the pictures throughout the city, even taking down the art of artist such as Shepard Fairey and putting his on in its place. Even at his own art show, Terry Guetta wanted the attention to be on him, rather than his art. While trying to set up his exhibit, Guetta was more focused and worried about his interview than his exhibit. At the exhibit, Guetta posed for every picture and savored the attention. These things seemed to really bother the other street artist because it it against what they stand for.
     Exit Through the Gift Shop shows how one man took the message of a group of artist and diluted it for his own personal gain. The movie was made to set straight was street art is really about and its true message.