Mr Brainwash Queen
Recent Sales
2010s Street Art Paintings
Mixed Media
21st Century and Contemporary Street Art Portrait Paintings
21st Century and Contemporary Street Art Portrait Prints
Paper
21st Century and Contemporary Street Art Portrait Prints
Paper
2010s Street Art Portrait Prints
Lithograph, Offset
A Close Look at Street-art Art
Street art is a style created for city walls, subway trains and other public spaces. Sometimes it is commissioned, yet most often it is an individual statement of defiant free expression. Although mostly an urban style, street art can be found all over the world, including JR’s pasted portraits on the separation wall in Palestine, Invader’s playful ceramic tile mosaics in Paris and the provocative stencil and spray-paint works by Banksy in London.
The Philadelphia-based Cornbread — aka Darryl McCray — is considered the first modern graffiti artist. He began tagging his name around the city in the 1960s. Graffiti art later flourished in New York City in the 1970s. There, young artists used spray paint and markers to create tags and large-scale graphic works, with Jean-Michel Basquiat and Keith Haring both developing their distinctive styles through the graffiti scene, which would evolve into street art. Artists such as Tracy 168 and Lady Pink pioneered the Wild Style of complex graffiti writing in the 1980s, pushing the movement forward.
Because of its unsanctioned, improvisational and frequently covert nature, street art involves a range of techniques and aesthetics. Some street artists use quick and effective stenciling, whereas others wheat-paste posters, commandeer video projectors or freehand draw elaborate illustrations and murals. Shepard Fairey made his mark with street art stickers before designing the iconic “Hope” poster for Barack Obama’s 2008 presidential campaign.
While the origins of street art are rooted in a strictly noncommercial creative act that confronted political issues, sexuality and more for a general audience of passersby, the art form has moved inside the galleries over the years. Today, just as Basquiat and Haring took their works from Manhattan’s Lower East Side alleyways into Soho galleries, artists including KAWS, Barry McGee and Osgemeos are in demand with collectors of fine art.
Find a collection of street art paintings, sculptures, prints and multiples and more on 1stDibs.
- Is Mr. Brainwash collectable?1 Answer1stDibs ExpertMarch 25, 2024Yes, Mr. Brainwash is collectable. His artwork is highly sought-after, and many of his prints have increased in value over the years. The 2010 documentary Exit Through the Gift Shop helped to make the artist widely known, contributing to interest from collectors. On 1stDibs, find a variety of Mr. Brainwash art.
- 1stDibs ExpertNovember 26, 2024Many art lovers believe that Mr. Brainwash is worth investing in. He is best known for his large-scale installations and depictions of celebrities like Madonna, Kate Moss and Marilyn Monroe. His practice of subverting cultural iconography and appropriation borrows from Andy Warhol and Banksy. Mr. Brainwash's international fan base of collectors has propelled his blue-chip artwork into the upper tier of desirability. However, whether or not it's worth investing in Mr. Brainwash art is totally subjective! At 1stDibs, we believe in buying what you love. Our shopping experience enables discovery and learning, whether you are a seasoned connoisseur or just beginning your collection. Find Mr. Brainwash art and other art on 1stDibs.
- 1stDibs ExpertApril 5, 2022Mr. Brainwash uses art to make a provocative statement. He takes copyrighted works and alters them to undermine the tone of the original piece or product. You too can make a statement by collecting a selection of Mr. Brainwash’s works on 1stDibs.
- 1stDibs ExpertMarch 22, 2022Mr. Brainwash often creates his art by using stencils and screen prints, as well as paint. Some of his most well-known works include Balloon Girl, Never Give Up, Retrospect, Polaroid Boy, Spider Man and Superheroes (Blue). On 1stDibs, find a variety of Mr. Brainwash art.
- 1stDibs ExpertSeptember 23, 2024Thierry Guetta is called Mr. Brainwash because he chose that name to serve as his artistic pseudonym. Prior to starting his own career as a street artist, Mr. Brainwash recorded the nightly escapades of Invader and other street artists such as Shepard Fairey. That experience convinced him that art was often an attempt to brainwash the public by using images to encourage them to adopt certain values or beliefs. In his own work, Mr. Brainwash attempts to fill viewers' minds with positive, uplifting messages — to brainwash them in a good way. On 1stDibs, explore a selection of Mr. Brainwash art.