Made famous in the documentary Exit Through the Gift Shop, documentary filmmaker Thierry Guetta became street artist Mr. Brainwash after becoming inspired by (and learning techniques from) Banksy, then opened this Beverly Hills gallery to exhibit and sell his work, as well as souvenirs. As a spectacle, the gallery is amazing, co-opting some of the art world’s best-known public domain imagery – and pop iconography – for frequently humorous and sometimes ironic juxtapositions with modern themes. Additional displays across the multi-floor exhibition space actually place you inside of art, historic and otherwise, and give you a shot at creation in a communal chalkboard room. Whether this is art is in the eye of the beholder, and we’d say so; we’ve truly enjoyed visiting and would recommend it to others.
