[michaelwww]

Your language exhibits a bias that says: a) Banksy is a culture hacker b) Banksy is outside mainstream culture c) Banksy is a successful hacker. All of that is arguable, but one thing we can say for sure is Banksy is interesting because people are interested in Banksy - famous for being famous like Paris Hilton.

[mcantelon]

I assert A, B, and C, yes. Banksy managed to simultaneously profit from, and socially comment globally using, a street medium. Paris Hilton was born with the looks and means needed to make connections and she worked from that, gaining notoriety through her lack of inhibition. I can see the comparison in that their trajectories were both unconventional to some degree, but beyond that, not much simularity.

If you haven't, I'd recommend watching the humorous Banksy-related documentary "Exit Through the Gift Shop". It's quite interesting and entertaining and not what you'd expect.

[michaelwww]

I watched it. I found an article that expressed my feelings by googling the words 'culture consuming itself in an ironic singularity' [1] but this article is an equal part of the singularity. "Exit Through the Gift Shop" plays well as a mockumentary by an art collective. The whole thing feels like a long troll, which is kind of interesting, but I felt Netochka Nezvanova [2] was pretty interesting at the time and now, not so much.

[1] http://jamesonstarship.com/2013/05/15/thats-all-folks-buzzfe...

[2] http://www.salon.com/2002/03/01/netochka/

[michaelwww]

Thanks for the recommendation. I will watch that. My bottom line is have I learned anything from Banksy? No I haven't. I'll watch it and report back.

[voltagex_]

Another really good one to watch is "Bomb It" on Netflix/iTunes. The sequel is out soon.

[michaelwww]

I haven't finished it, but I like this a lot better because it's authentic street art from the people who grew up in those locales. The Banksy collective on the other hand has a lot of money behind it and feels more like rich people appropriating street art.

[lmm]

So was Paris Hilton a successful culture hacker? I'd be very interested in an article on her strategy, assuming it consisted of more than just being in the right place at the right time - or even a piece like this one, on someone who was influenced by contact with her fame.

[michaelwww]

The porn tape that gets "accidentally" released is the perfect example of something that appears outside the mainstream but actually very mainstream. Guerrilla marketing is culture hacking? I don't think so. It's advertising. Watch the second film mentioned here called "Bomb It." It's clear what everyone thinks about putting the art in galleries and selling it for big money. The power is lost and it become sterile out of context. Banksy leaves me feeling empty, like Paris Hilton. There's no there there.