Mr Brainwash Overview

Mr Brainwash, also known as Thierry Guetta, is a popular and controversial figure in the contemporary art world. His popularity comes from the way that his fusions of pop art, street art, and classical art have contributed to the rising profile of street art among art curators and collectors, and his controversy is due to his involvement in Banksy’s critically acclaimed film, Exit Through the Gift Shop, which has sparked debates over Mr Brainwash’s identity and authenticity as an artist.

Banksy’s Exit Through the Gift Shop is an Oscar nominated documentary which featured Guetta’s archive of footage following the activities of street artists in Los Angeles and Paris. Guetta admitted that he had no further plan in regards to the future of this footage, and so it was Banksy who turned it into the documentary. Guetta is credited as one of its filmmakers which, alongside the featured footage of his own early pursuits as a street artist, meant that he too gained international recognition alongside the documentary’s release and following success. The figure of Mr Brainwash was created thereafter, and the artist has been met with great commercial success since. His self-financed debut exhibition, Life is Beautiful, attracted around 50,000 visitors in Los Angeles in 2008, and he has enjoyed a close relationship with the music industry. He designed the cover art for Madonna’s album ‘Celebration’ in 2009, and has created works and installations for other artists and festivals like Coachella. His bold and colourful compositions centre around the use of iconic figures and pop culture references, often using and reworking popular imagery from other artists like Vincent van Gogh’s sunflowers and Andy Warhol’s soup cans. His work made its auction debut in 2010 to sales that went well above their initial estimates.

Mr Brainwash (French 1966-), "Stairway to London (Led Zeppelin)", signed limited edition screenprint on archival paper. Sold: £460

Stylistically and conceptually, there are clear similarities between the work of Mr Brainwash and Banksy. This, along with his close association with Banksy through their documentary, has meant that Mr Brainwash’s identity has been questioned ever since his first appearance on the art scene. The documentary’s authenticity has also been doubted, and it has been suggested that Mr Brainwash is actually part of an elaborate prank by Banksy, making fun of the art world. Both Guetta and Banksy have stated that the documentary is real.

At Wilson55, our in-house expert Stephen Sparrow has years of experience in assessing and valuing Mr Brainwash’s work, so do get in touch if you’d like to learn more about a piece you own or discuss a potential sale or valuation.

Modern Art & Photography Directory