Over the next two classes we will watch the movie “Exit Through the Gift Shop” as the introduction to our street art unit. We will then respond to a few key quotes.
Discussion Questions
With 1-3 classmates, respond to the following quotes. Then write a 150-word response to the quote or quote of your choice as it applies to the movie, “Exit Through the Gift Shop,” or contemporary art in general.
Banksy: “I don’t think Thierry played by the rules in some ways; but, then there are not supposed to be any rules. So, I don’t really know what mine is. I mean I always used to encourage everyone I met to make art, I used to think everyone should do it. I don’t do that so much anymore.”
Banksy: “I don’t know what it means, Thierry is huge success and a rival in the art world. I mean, maybe, Thierry was a genius all along. Maybe, he got a bit lucky. Maybe, it means art is a bit of a joke.”
Shepard Fairey: “I do think the whole phenomenon of Thierry’s obsession with street art, becoming a street artist, a lot of suckers buying into his show and him selling a lot of expensive art, um, very quickly. It is anthropologically, sociologically it’s a fascinating thing to observe and maybe there’s some things to be learned from it.”
Banksy: “Most artists spend years perfecting their craft finding their style. Thierry seems to have missed all those bits. I mean there’s no one quite like Thierry. Even if his art looks quite a lot like everyones else’s.”
Today we will:
- Watch the street art movie “Exit Through the Gift Shop”
- Discuss key quotes by Banksy and Shepard Fairey about the progression of Thierry’s artistic career and the “rules” of contemporary art
- Write a response of a minimum of 150 words to the quote or quote of your choice as it applies to the movie, “Exit Through the Gift Shop,” or contemporary art in general.
SOTA Foundations 2 