Initially born in France and a later resident in Los Angeles, the artist Thierry Guetta (Paris, 1966), who would later be more commonly known as Mr. Brainwash, is today a worldwide icon in urban art. From his initial creations in Los Angeles in 2006 until today, Mr. Brainwash has exhibited in cities such as New York, Miami, Toronto, Los Angeles, London or Cape Town, has worked for Madonna and Michael Jackson, to name a few, and starred in a documentary directed by another famous icon of urban art, Banksy titled “Exit Through the Gift Shop”.
Mr. Brainwash is arguably the most notable street artist of our time. It is fundamental to be familiar with his work if one has any interest in street or urban art whatsoever. His work, no matter the size is equally transcendent and influencial with hidden meaning and messages behind each. His response to interview conducted by PAPERMAG as to why he is called “Mr. Brainwash” just about says it all.
“Mr. Brainwash was invented around the early ’90s. When you watch TV, when you buy clothes, when you come to a bar or a club, when you do anything, how do you get there? Everything’s brainwashing, and I used to take any kind of brand and twist it. I would take Nike, and I’d make the logo exactly the same, but with an arrow, and I’d write under it, “Just did it.” Instead of Kids ‘R’ Us, I’d put Boys Are Nuts. I couldn’t use my name when I started doing street art, so I remembered Mr. Brainwash and decided to use it. At first, I didn’t sign anything, but little by little I started signing MBW.”
On November 14th 2014, through January 17 2015, his most representative works will be exhibited for the first time in Spain, at 3 Punts Galeria in Barcelona. Among which, are featured unique pieces on canvas, card and paper in various formats, and made especially for this show. A series of unique works embodying some of the most loved and missed symbols of the city such as “Copito de Nieve” a statue resembling Barcelona Zoo’s albino gorilla, “Snowflake” who died in 2003, and a silk screen print that represents FC Barcelona’s best players from the past till present day. It’s rare that a street artist’s works are compiled for an exhibit. Usually, they’re left as they are, on walls sporadically placed throughout different cities. Also, it’s rare for a street artist’s identity alone to be exposed in such a high profile or obvious way. Needless to say this opportunity was iconic for Barcelona and for Europe as a whole where street art is so prevalent yet street artists remain, for the most part, anonymous.
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