What the Internet is saying about Toronto’s Banksy exhibit gone wrong

In the five weeks since Banksy’s street art made its debut in Toronto, the $35-million exhibit has seen all kinds of antics ranging from mockery to theft. It’s been a bit of a mess from the beginning: people were quick to point out that the show wasn’t authorized by the artist himself, that it goes against the nature of street art and of course that it comes with a steep $35 price tag. (One critic wrote that it was enough to make her gag.)

With all the buzz, some saw it as an opportunity to jump in on the action. The exhibit was open for less than a day before a hoodie-wearing art thief managed to steal the $35,000 “Trolley Hunter” print (though, internet conspirators suspect Banksy himself was behind the heist). A day or so later, Toronto-based artist George Warner hung his own work on a chainlink fence directly across from the exhibit in protest of the commercialization of Banksy. Artist Tharanga Ramanayake took things one step further by hanging his own piece directly inside the exhibit to mock charging for street art.

But things didn’t end there: this past Saturday, Toronto creatives Naomi Belcamino and Dave McKay opened a parody exhibit, The “Banksy Exhibit” Exhibit, across the street from the real deal featuring photos of people lining up for the anonymous Brit. At this point, The Art of Banksy seems to be the gift that keeps on giving and Twitter couldn’t agree more.

Of course, some people loved the exhibit (with more than 70,000 tickets sold, there needs to be at least a few fans out there):

Others were on the fence:

Some people would rather spend their hard-earned money elsewhere:

One person thought the curator should invest in a Swiffer:

Some were quick to poke fun:

There are the advocates:

And the debaters:

And the guilt-ridden:

Some have been more... direct:

And some people just really hate Banksy and don’t care either way: