Last night I sat down to watch "Exit Through the Gift Shop", the documentary about the street art scene etc. After I was done watching it I couldn't help but laugh at the spectacle it was.
The last half of the movie is about one "artist" in particular, who, aside from never really being a street artist, puts together a huge show and makes millions off of silly little LA art connoisseurs. So silly. This artist, who is loosely connected with the now infamous Banksy, had no experience, was doing the exact same thing that all the other street artists were doing, but some how, with a simple quote from Banksy made himself into this famed artist. Ironically, the man called himself 'Mister Brainwash', which was oh so appropriate because that's exactly what he did. He used Banksy's namesake and by doing so brainwashed a good portion of the population to believe that what he was doing was new, fresh, controversial, cutting edge...even though he was just pulling this "art" out of his ass, torturing his employees (who, by the way, created most of his, so-called, art to begin with) and because people who want to think they're really into art will buy just about anything you give to them as art, he became an overnight sensation.
This begs the question, "What is art?" and it cannot be answered. Art is in the eye of the beholder, and much-like beauty, it can be influenced by society and one good name backing you up. Can I get a good name to back me up? Can I become an overnight sensation that everyone will throw their money at? I'd like it? Talent is meaningless in today's society! It's all about how much you had to start out with and who you know. Thus, I will probably never be famous, (which is saddening, but I'll live through it...) This blog will probably never get world wide acclaim (EVEN THOUGH IT SHOULD!) and I will continue to poke holes in the world I see and go nowhere for it. I'd rather do all that then be this brainwashed zombie who sees a name and falls for whatever it is they're selling.
Here here! Only thing I consider art is something I can look at and say ,"Wow, that must have taken blood, sweat, tears, and way too many hours to create that" .
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