I finally met the man behind my favorite New York graffiti wall (13th St and 9th Avenue). The wall changes every now and then. Sometime it’s Madonna and Angelina Jolie adorned with baroque wigs. Right now it’s a sticker of a giant John Lennon holding a panda.
Last Friday, I sneaked in the big 15,000-square-foot loft across the street and met, to my great surprise, Mr. Brainwash, the mystery street artist behind it all. He was covered with pink paint stains. Hipster hat and Ray-Bans on, he was putting the finishing touch to his very first exhibition in New York City, ICONS. It opened on Valentine’s Day in the Meatpacking District.
Little is known about Mr. Brainwash, who goes by the name of Thierry Guetta. The 44-year-old man is French but has been living in Los Angeles for the past 26 years. He used to be a filmmaker and now he does street art. Gangsta style. He is the subject of a new documentary directed by Banksy (another famous figure in the underground street art scene who remains completely anonymous), “Exit Through the Gift Shop“. Can’t wait to see that one. The movie created a lot of buzz at last month’s Sundance Film Festival.
The exhibition is a feast for pop culture addicts. Every single pop icon, media guru, fashion designer, supermodel is displayed on the walls in vibrant, splashy, paint-splattered portraits. He’s also the creator of Madonna’s latest “Andy Warholish” cover for her “Celebration” CD, released last year. Some of his pieces are priced as high as $300,000. There’s also giant spray cans covered with logos of Louis Vuitton or Campbell’s soup and a real Taxi in a toy box. His trademark is portraits of stars made of crushed records. He’s giving a second life to a dying industry through the faces who brought it to its golden age…
DISCOVER HIS ART AFTER THE JUMP!
Mr Brainwash told me that his trick, to decorate a street wall in the middle of the day, is to pretend he owns the building. It works every time. He is clearly passionate about his work and wanted to jump on that huge rubber tires horse sculpture for the picture. He says Madonna couldn’t come to the opening because she was in Brazil for the Carnival. He kept a few pieces on the side for her.
Crashed records
Real cab in a box
Mr. Brainwash, ICONS, 415 W 13th Street, until March 31st.
Pictures Marie-Joëlle Parent. You can follow me on Twitter here.