The Only Thing That Could Have Saved the Academy Awards is Banksy

I must admit I only watched parts of the Academy Awards this year, and the fact that it was so boring had a lot to do with it. Every year I say that I am never going to watch it again, and this year I almost made it. By the time the Academy Awards rolls around, I am no longer interested in who is wearing whom. Who cares, they all look like they just stepped out of a spray tan/Botox salon. I would much rather catch the recap on the Fashion Police show where Joan River's brutal honestly is more entertaining that the whole four hours of painful attempts at comedy.

I saw all of the movies this year with the exception of Toy Story 3, and although I liked The King's Speech, Black Swan and Social Network, I really didn't care which one of them won. The main reason I did watch was that I wanted to see the winner of Best Documentary. I was hoping that Exit through the Gift Shop would win, to see if Banksy would have accepted the award. As a graphic artist I was pleasantly surprised at how much I liked this film, and the depths it went to explain street art. I have been intrigued by street art and since I live in the graffiti capital of the world, I see it everywhere. I was surprised to find it in Paris, Rome and even in the South of France. It's fascinating to see it on the freeway signs and I can't imagine being brave enough to hang over a freeway, while painting upside down, putting yourself in harm's way, for the love of your art. But then when I see how mainstreamed it has become, and how you can make millions from it, I get it. No one knows if this Documentary was a hoax or not, but what better opportunity for an artistic prankster like Banksy than to make a faux documentary about the art world itself? Just too bad he didn't win. It might have livened up a show that desperately needed it. Now we'll probably never find out who he really is.