You cannot criticize art because every mistake is a new creation
If you’ve never heard of Mr. Brainwash before, think of him as Banksy’s French younger brother.
His real name is Thierry Guetta and he is a street artist from Paris. His big break came in 2010 when he appeared in the Banksy documentary Exit Through the Gift Shop, leading to speculation at the time that Banksy and Mr. Brainwash were the same person.
I haven’t seen this documentary yet, but I’ve heard that Banksy expresses how ambition and charisma are just as important as talent to success. Apparently this documentary shows how easily we can be influenced and jump on the latest fads, and how often they don’t have any real value.
Mr. Brainwash reportedly described himself as Banksy’s “best work,” so we can’t help but think this is all a hoax and a great joke, but we, the audience, are the ones in the problem is. It’s us who are caught up in another fad, and ironically, I can’t help but feel like I’m caught up in a new Mr. Brainwash craze.
Mr. Brainwash became known for taking famous works of art and transforming them into Mr. Brainwash. It basically consists of some specialized Photoshop skills and Andy Warhol style pop art elements. Although it sounds very simple, the exhibits actually allow you to see art in a completely different way and even give you a deeper understanding of the original work.
His latest exhibition will be held in a huge former sorting office in London. With 200,000 square feet of floor space to play with, Brainwash certainly had room to get creative.
Despite all this space, the artwork is plastered all over the outside walls of the building, proudly displaying the cheeky slogan “God Save the People” that our very own Liz might have painted herself is displayed.
Mr. Brainwash has also been criticized for having cheeky, cluttered, and immature artwork, and for having a large team of artists and graphic designers who do a lot of work for him. There is. But seriously, who could make their own 10-foot gorilla from an old tire?
Mr. Brainwash may not be able to pick up a paintbrush and paint a Michel Angelo-esque masterpiece, but his work is just as impressive to my eyes. Just as beautiful, just as moving, and about 100 times more interesting.
If you’re in London and have an hour to spare, I highly recommend checking it out.
Bonuses
- It’s free!
- Get a free can of souvenir spray paint, 2 free posters, and 3 free postcards.
- Open Monday to Sunday from 1pm to 7pm
- A short walk from Holborn Underground Station
Want to find out more?
Mr. Brainwash Official Site
BBC report and exhibition video
Introducing Mr. Brainwash – Interview with The Standard.
Want to see more?
you can see more Mr. Brainwash photos on my Tumblr blog where I post all my iPhone photos.