The number of documentaries about Banksy keeps steadily rising. After seeing Exit Through the Gift Shop, Banksy Does New York, How to Sell A Banksy and Saving Banksy I couldn’t help but wonder how much this new doc would be able to add to those. The last two titles in this list already were about securing and selling the work of this popular street artist. They shed a light on the art market when it comes to his work, the art world in general and the ethical side of removing works which are displayed in a public place.
The thing which stands out most in The Man Who Stole Banksy is the setting. The focus is mostly on a work Banksy made in Jerusalem, near the wall that was erected by Israel. On it you see how an Israeli soldier checks the papers of a donkey. It’s an image which offended many Palestinian people as they saw it as an insult, Banksy comparing them to a mule. A local successful businessman saw an opportunity to secure the work, by cutting out a 3 tonnes concrete slab and offering it for sale on eBay. Director Marco Proserpio tries to show the events surrounding this event and the impact Banksy has had on the local people. He also places removing his work in the context of the goal the artist had and if you should be able to remove/sell it.
It’s an interesting question which is very easy to answer from a legal perspective. The owner of the property on which the art is placed will also be the owner of the work. He/she can do whatever they want with it, whether that’s painting over it or sell it. But street artists and Banksy’s former manager have a different opinion.
These are discussions which aren’t new if you have seen previous Banksy documentaries. No new viewpoint are shown and it is mainly the part set in Jerusalem which are the most interesting to watch. It makes The Man Who Stole Banksy a documentary which doesn’t cover new ground and it sometimes seems to lose focus. Iggy Pop’s voiceover is cool, but as a whole it probably could have been a bit shorter to be more effective. If you haven’t seen much Banksy documentaries though, you’ll get a good overview about the art world and Banksy in particular, although other movies about art might be slightly better.
[score7]