Banksy on Revolutionary Times in the Art World

Hmmm....revolution seems to be my word of the day! Must be after all that ranting and frustration over last night's political debate. I digress...

Banksy's directorial debut 'Exit through the Gift Shop' was billed as 'the first great art-world disaster movie'.  It's a remarkable parody of the quintessential artist of our time. Here's a snippet from his recent interview with Wired.

Banksy: 'Thierry essentially trespassed into the art business, and even in the wild world of vandalism there’s a lot of conservatism — people don’t like to see the rules being broken. The story of Mr. Brainwash should be inspirational, and in the hands of a more cheerful director it probably would’ve been. The film might come across as a bit cynical, but it’s important not to forget these are revolutionary times in art.


There’s a whole new audience out there, and it’s never been easier to sell it, particularly at the lower levels. You don’t have to go to college, drag ’round a portfolio, mail off transparencies to snooty galleries or sleep with someone powerful. All you need now is a few ideas and a broadband connection. This is the first time the essentially bourgeois world of art has belonged to the people. We need to make it count.'