Exit through the Gift Shop: Response

Which elements are believable?

The existence of Theirry Guetta, or MBW, the presence of street art and their artists, such as Banksy and Shepard Fairey, and of course the classification of fictional documentary film. With a feature film that focuses on the uprise of an artist, or figure rather, such as MBW, it chronicles the events as evident with film and validates these occurrences. The movement of street art becoming commercialized with follow ups in galleries and auctions, is believable as it is documented along with the rise of MBW. The fact that there were so many who valued and supported the artwork of street artists, was not only apparent but also believable.

Which elements are unbelievable?

Many aspects of the film seemed like an exaggeration but could or could not be argued to be believable. For example, MBW introduction to Banksy, and Banksy's willingness to include him as a filmmaker, and not a fellow street artist, surprised me. I feel that there should have been more to that story that would provide a more logical explanation of MBW's entry into this world of art. From there, MBW forms a bond with Banksy and when Banksy suggests that he plunges into his art, he takes it to an almost absurd level. His investment into this art project, his tendency to become absorbed by his passion to a degree that his family is fighting for priority, and the reaction that is seen to his show all hinge upon a sense of ridiculousness.


What is the purpose of this fictional documentary film?
Towards the end, when Banksy talks about making art after meeting Theirry Guetta he says: "I always used encourage everyone I met to make art, I used to think everyone should do it...I don't really do that so much anymore" and I think in this quote there is so much to be said about what the film is trying to send to the audience as its message. Fairey mentioned that it was an anthropological study the popularity and fame that MBW gained after his show. Personally I think its a great big question on art, how we conceive of legitimacy in our art, whether there is a concept of legitimacy in art, if there should be one if there isn't, standardizing our measurements of art, popular public perceptions of what constitutes art, and discrepancies between artists and audiences about their answers to these questions. Is there a joke? Who is the joke on? Steve Lazarides answered with: "I don't know who the joke's on, really." So perhaps the purpose of this was to simply offer the need of rethinking art in the position of our society, and our society's position on art. In other words, a lot of learning.

Reflection: Treedling

I thought this was a little less conceptually challenging than the project of the time map because there was more freedom to be original. It was difficult to think of an idea that could have simultaneously conveyed the time map as well as bring something different to the table. I wanted to express a sense of fragility in the tree limbs because despise the time nature has withstood, a building constructed from wood would be worn much quicker than a building of cement. The contrast to the long time of nature would be the modernity of a building, which is seen by the metal wiring that gives the object its essential shape. The wiring, or short time, provides the support, whilst the tree limbs, or long time, adds the dynamic. This juxtaposition is meant to create an ironic setting that distorts what we traditionally consider nature to be, often tranquil and calm, and metal to be a material with more malleability and potential. I do agree more branches would create a more apparent message, and I would add to the project if I were to redo it.

Reflection - TIme Map

I really enjoyed this project because the result incorporated a lot of layers that I had not previously expected to be included when I first began brainstorming. The appearance of a book with two hardcover ends was a suggestion that I appreciated since it adds a formality to the piece that I believe acts as a conclusive final touch. I chose tracing paper as my structural material because the opacity and fragility of tracing paper represents an organic element that I wanted to add to the object. Photographs are suspended in the folds of the tracing paper, and their suspension with scrapbook masking tape edges are also meant to give an additional sense of rawness. If I were to remake the project however, I would definitely place greater emphasis on the mechanism of unfolding and refolding of the expanding structure, which takes away from understanding the project because it is such a distraction and effort to worry about the process that comes with viewing the object. It was intentional to subject the audience to a physicality in movement and unraveling but the involvement of this physicality was so prominent it shadowed the actual object and its content.

Time Frame Object: Time Map

Time Frame Object: Treedling