Bridge Project: Part III

Weaving all of the information learned, and experienced, this year to create a narrative of Humanities.

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Protest does not need to come in a form of created art like the paintings produced by Pablo Picasso or Francisco Goya. Protest can come in a form of comedy, or film to be more specific.

Exit Through The Gift Shop is a film directed by British street artist Banksy that has multiple themes, but one of the most prominent and obvious ones are protest and sticking it to the big man. The film is about the development of Thierry Guetta, a Frenchman who is based from LA, California, from amateur film maker to known street artist through his journey and experience with a plethora of fellow street artists. Street art has a bad reputation that is associated with gangs or criminals or anything that carries a negative stigma. Street art is so much more because as the film shows the audience, street art is a strong passion and form of expressionism for many artists. It goes so far as to making Guetta, the main character of the film, transform into an artist known as Mr. Brainwash by the end of the film. Art has a strong impact on individuals. Any art invokes certain emotions depending on the art and its message from the artist. Much of the art seen from the raw footage appears as protest. Disagreement towards social norms and disagreement towards government policies. Banksy says that art is long-lasting. Many artwork pieces are created with materials that will be preserved for a long time, however street art is not forever; street art has a small lifespan. Therefore, it holds a special place in the world.

This is the base of the protest the films underlying theme exposes. Art is anything that holds meaning and a message. Art does not have to be subjected towards a painting that is created by a name that holds weight and fame. Why must street art be pushed aside and regarded as graffiti and ugly? Street art is a form of protest and expressionism and the world is its canvas. Any wall is a canvas. Any blank space is a canvas. Has art come so far that people don't recognize what is considered art and admire virtually anything because of names and recognition and notoriety?

This man is an artist. This man started off as an amateur film director who had connections deeply rooted in the artworld across the nation and even overseas. Towards the end of the film he transforms to someone else. He transforms into Mr. Brainwash, or so he calls himself in the film. He is laughed at yet admired for his rapid evolution towards narcissistic painter/artist. This is a contorted form of protesting societies perception of artists who see themselves as street artists. This film pokes fun of the art industry and the way the wealthy elite waste their money on art that does not deserve it. Banksy questions whether art has transformed for the worst, which contradicts the social perspective on street art.