Life is Beautiful for Mr. Brainwash
Mr. Brainwash – Juxtapose
“I’m just following my heart. I even sign my name with a little heart. I’m not here to judge myself, or to judge anybody. What I want to do is to give love, and bring positive messages.” – Mr. Brainwash
Mr. Brainwash creates art that merges stencils, graffiti styles and a wry sense of humor into his own style. While the rumor mill continues to whisper about just who exactly it is really making these works of art, these concerns fall away when you actually see his pieces.
His pop-graffiti sensibility relishes in street bravado and color. He borrows the faces of mid-century celebrities and re-envisions them, setting their familiar faces in a psychedelic kaleidoscope of visual references.
He is also known for setting up some of the best art parties. To ring in the 2012 Summer Olympic Games in London, Mr. Brainwash opened a massive show in the giant Old Sorting Office in London’s West End. There, he constructed a 20-foot-tall Kate Moss to greet visitors, a six-story-tall tribute to Queen Elizabeth II — wearing her coronation attire and spray painting “God Save the People” — among other works. The event was DJ’d by none other than EDM legend David Guetta. With these kinds of high-profile events and impactful works, it’s no wonder why he rapidly became one of the top names in street art.
The mystery of Mr. Brainwash’s real identity continues to grow, just as the artwork continues to rise in prominence. It is all bound up in the same strange, fascinating story of the artist.
The Origins of MBW
By all official accounts, Mr. Brainwash is Thierry Guetta — a videographer and former used clothing store owner turned art world darling.
The story of Guetta, a French immigrant in Los Angeles, begins while he was the owner of a vintage clothing store. Interested in his surroundings, he took a video camera with him everywhere, capturing the often bizarre world of LA street life.
He began following and filming street artists — most notably, Banksy and Shepard Fairey. He fell in love with what they were doing. The danger and political edge appealed to Guetta’s sense of adventure and desire for self-expression. So he broke in through the side door, team