Hundreds lined up outside the former Museum of Television and Radio on Jan. 26 for a complimentary tour of the Mr. Brainwash Art Museum and pop-up exhibit, “Enter Through The Museum” with the artist himself as part of the latest installment of Business with Bosse. The show from the popular French street artist Thierry Guetta, known as Mr. Brainwash, opened in December on North Beverly Drive and is an interactive retrospective that rethinks the traditional museum setting. The show explores the evolution of Mr. Brainwash and chronicles his growth as an artist with bright multi-medium installations inside and a larger-than-life image of the Mona Lisa wearing a face mask adorning the exterior of the building. The themes of hope and positivity in the artist’s work are meant to remind people of his personal motto: life is beautiful.
“I’ve never, ever seen a line around the block,” Mayor Lili Bosse said of the turnout, calling it a “testament to the incredible, amazing Mr. Brainwash.”
Inside the museum, famous artworks such as Vincent Van Gogh’s still life “Bedroom in Arles” are reimagined by Mr. Brainwash, recreated as a life-size walk-in replica of the painting that visitors can physically enter and interact with. Additional experiences include a dinosaur constructed out of books, a giant basketball signed by Kobe Bryant, and a Star Wars installation with life-size storm troopers alongside Darth Vader.
“What you’re going to experience, you will experience nowhere else in the world, except in Beverly Hills,” Bosse said.
The event was attended by residents and visitors alike, as well as Councilmember Sharona Nazarian, city commissioners and school board members.
The exhibit follows the artist’s trajectory and evolution since the 2010 award-winning documentary “Exit Through the Gift Shop” propelled him onto the world stage. The documentary chronicles the artist 2008 Los Angeles exhibit called “Life is Beautiful.”
With three sculptures located in public spaces throughout the city, Mr. Brainwash is no stranger to Beverly Hills. In 2019, he unveiled three public works: a vibrant red sculpture that reads “Life is Beautiful” located on the 200 block of Rodeo Drive, “Beverly Hills is Beautiful,” located in Beverly Canon Gardens, and a third titled, “Beverly Hills is Life,” outside of the Wells Fargo building on Santa Monica Boulevard at Camden Drive.
