Graffiti stylist designed album cover for Madonna

THE work of a street artist who designed the cover of Madonna’s 2009 greatest hits collection Celebration has gone on show at a Henley gallery.

Mr Brainwash, whose real name is Thierry Guetta, is a French graffiti designer who rose to prominence when he starred in the 2010 Banksy-directed documentary Exit Through the Gift Shop.

The film, which was nominated for an Academy Award for best documentary feature, showed the artist fusing elements from pop art’s past and the raw components of his street art beginnings to create larger than life exhibitions and collaborations.

Navigating between the worlds of celebrity culture, music and sport, Mr Brainwash’s artwork has since featured in films and television productions such as Molly’s Game, Billions, Shameless and Keeping Up with the Kardashians.

Now the Lemongrove Gallery in Duke Street is showcasing Mr Brainwash’s creations alongside those of nine other urban artists.

Senior art consultant Riaan Badenhorst said the decision to host an exhibition focusing on urban art reflected its growing appeal.

He said: “The popularity of street art is not necessarily something one would associate with a community like Henley, but it is honestly our most popular genre at the moment.

“This extraordinary collection of work embraces a broad array of styles, genres, subjects, personalities and ideas.

“It celebrates the innovation, imagination, diversity and brilliance of a whole new generation of inspirational voices. Street art is selling phenomenally well in Henley and the demand is growing. Clients from all walks of life are collecting, showing the cultural diversity of our community.”

Mr Badenhorst explained that graffiti originally started life as a form of protest or social commentary, with the oldest known examples of the form being the “monikers” painted on train cars by 19th century hobos.

In 1967 the art form was given a new lease of life when someone spray-painted “Clapton is God” on a wall in Islington in reference to the celebrated guitarist.

A decade later, graffiti became associated with the punk movement, while the early Eighties witnessed the emergence of the new stencil graffiti genre that was later popularised by Banksy.

Mr Badenhorst added: “Though starting as an underground movement, urban artists like Banksy and Mr Brainwash have now gained mainstream status and have in turn propelled the urban art scene into popular culture.

“Perceptions have started to change as urban movements such as graffiti slowly gain acceptance from the public.

“Urban artists started creating their work on paper and canvas to make it more accessible and sellable. They started displaying their true talent as fine artists and firmly established the modern art scene’s newest genre — street art.”

Other artists featured in the Lemongrove show include South East London-based Dan Pearce and the Israeli mixed media specialist Uri Dushy.

Mr Badenhorst said: “Each of these artists display talent and techniques in a way that sets their work apart from that of their contemporaries.

“They combine traditional techniques with digital technology. Their characters and their settings are formed from paint, printed paper cuttings, layers of old newspape clippings, sketches, silk screen prints, various glues, inks, spray paints, sand, glass fragments and more.”