[Pipes]

Whether or not the Bristolian is really the ‘Picasso of the 21st century’, this fawning documentary confirms how well he fits the social-media age

Here is a watchable, if slaveringly adulatory documentary profile of the yet-to-be-conclusively-identified artist, whose increasingly pricey work has spawned its own mini-industry of blokes with angle grinders chopping stencils off walls and doors almost before the paint is dry.

Directed by Seamus Haley and Aurélia Rouvier, this film covers most of the bases: beginning with the 2018 shredding of his Girl With Balloon painting shortly after it had sold at auction, and working back through earlier greatest hits such as the Dismaland theme park, the Walled Off hotel in Bethlehem in the West Bank, and the Mobile Lovers gift to a Bristol youth club. It also very much bends the knee, allowing statements such as “Banksy is the Picasso of the 21st century” to pass through unchallenged; others may not subscribe entirely to this point of view.

In lieu of much biographical information, quite a lot of the film is given over to entertaining speculation on Banksy’s identity: Massive Attack’s Robert del Naja, Tank Girl/Gorillaz illustrator Jamie Hewlett, and someone called Robin Gunningham, are all put forward as plausible candidates. (At one point a serial killer investigator gets involved; the vagueness of his conclusions doesn’t bode well for the state of the US justice system.)



Well, even if you don’t sign up to Banksy’s genius, it’s fair to say he’s harnessed social media like no other artist, using it to authenticate his work, preserve his anonymity, and document his stunts – all of which has helped to inflate the monetary and cultural value of his output. And if Banksy wants to be the Keyser Soze of contemporary art, that’s his affair. It certainly sells tickets.

Banksy Most Wanted is released on 22 March on digital platforms.

www.theguardian.com/film/2021/mar/22/banksy-most-wanted-review

[robo]

Looks like its only available on YouTube for rental?

[reg]

What a hideous review.

[Pipes]

Mar 22, 2021 21:14:33 GMT 1 robo said:

Looks like its only available on YouTube for rental?

Think I found it:

[robo]

Thanks! Quite enjoying it so far.

[VinceParis]

Saw it a year ago... weird

[Onket]

Saw it 2 years ago. So there.

[kingrobbolives]

Available for purchase on uk.chili.com - US users need a VPN to purchase, but not to view.

Interesting tidbit:

Steve Lazarides regarding the "Robin Gunningham" theory (at 1:09:40):

"I have a feeling that was another one our Fake News things, maybe... [laughs], maybe it's not [more laughter]...."

[dp]

Recent review: it's now on TV apparently

www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/2021/dec/02/banksy-most-wanted-review-the-king-of-guerrilla-art-or-a-cringy-sellout

[pollz66]

It's time for a fresh angle as this is just another re-hash. There's nothing in this documentary that hasn't been said a thousand times before. The chase to unmask him is so self-defeating as any journalist successfully identifying Banksy would also kill an important part of his appeal. So who wins in that scenario? Not the public, not the artist and certainly not the art world.

[ricardob]

The guy who still believes it is 3D