Have you seen any convincing evidence that "Exit Through the Gift Shop" is a hoax?

If anyone could pull off such a beautiful hoax, I would say it would be Banksy…and it would make it no less of a terrific commentary on the nature of art and its interaction with the consumer market.

I think that this is the best argument – basically, the answer is very likely “yes” and “no” – a failed attempt at creating something that was a real commentary on an un-selfconcious movement turned into an op-ed piece made up of a good amount of documentary footage that is intended to state the message of a movement that has gathered itself in a manner that more and more has become conscious (if not actually self-conscious by now) that it has a message.

I saw half of the movie yesterday; walked out due to severe headache and eye aches. The zoom-in, zoom-out, and turn-yourself-about camera work, plus the deafening sound track defeated me and several others. I removed my hearing aid and stuck a napkin ball in my good ear; still not good enough.

I am interested that the footage not used was described as “incoherent, confusing, a big mess.”

I don’t like the constant accusations that Guetta is “bumbling,” and therefore couldn’t have done xyz. This is repeated in multiple online articles.

But if the movie is real, it’s amazing what it says about “art” and talent. If it is fake, Banksy is a genius for the original concept and doing a great job keeping it not easy to determine the validity. It’s also amazing that a hoax (or at least partial hoax) could trick the film community, as Banksy won and was nominated for multiple awards.

However, did Guetta really do the cover art for Madonna’s Greatest Hits then?

@gailcalled I highly recommend you finish the movie. It takes a fascinating turn.

@cockswain forgive me for my ignorance. I hadn’t heard of this before. I just finished reading a few Google searched stories and I am curious now. So thanks for an introduction to something new. Where did you see the documentary? I mean, at a theatre or TV?

I am actually a little (very little to be honest) familiar with graffiti artists and the underground world. I helped a now famous hotel in Providence, RI, retain some original art after restoration of an historic structure.

@bkcunningham It is available to watch instantly on Netflix. I just watched it at home.

@cockswain: I’d like to see it at home some time, when I can ration my viewing. Normally I can sit through most movies, but this one was lethal.

I left when Thierry was wading through and editing billions of feet of video. By then I was almost cross-eyed. And it was very slow getting started.

It morphs into something completely different right after that part. Basically Banksy sends Guetta off to be a street artist to get out of his hair, since Banksy reasons Guetta must be kind of nuts for making such a crappy documentary.

@cockswain: Now you tell me. It will, I am sure, resurface on one of the three PBS channels I get with my crappy antenna and convertor box.