Banksy Does New York

On 1 October 2013, Banksy began a month-long residency in New York called Better Out Than In. A new work would be left at a secret location each day, and only online clues would say where. The city was not prepared. A community formed within days to chase the pieces, people sprayed over them, others tried to cut walls out, and some works ended up under paid guard. Chris Moukarbel's documentary is built almost entirely from amateur footage shot during that month: phone recordings, live streams, social media posts. The method carries the argument. The subject is not Banksy's work but the economy and the crowd that formed around it. Who it's for: Anyone interested in street art, how the art market operates, and how collective events assemble online. Who it's not for: There is almost nothing here about Banksy himself and the film does no art criticism. The image quality is amateur throughout.