Browse Exhibits (1 total)

Exhibit: Message Behind Resurrect Dead: Anonymity and Street Artists

Welcome to the exhibit “Message Behind Resurrect Dead: Anonymity and Street Artists.”

This exhibit is about the documentary, Resurrect Dead: The Mystery of the Toynbee Tiles, which follows three “detectives,” Justin, Steve, and Colin, as they embark on finding the culprit behind the Toynbee Tiles. Although at the end of the documentary the identity of the real culprit is still unknown, the director and the three “detectives” concluded Sevy Verna to fit the profile of the culprit the most out of the three possible suspects on their list. Why Sevy? The Toynbee tiler leaves thought provoking messages on his tiles yet he choose not to reveal his identity. One of his tiles states that he is only one man against society, indicating that this tiler is an introvert. Sevy fits their profile because he is intelligent based on his neighbors’ description of him and he is an introvert, preferring to lock himself away from society, a society that he does not fully trust.

Based on its positive reviews, Resurrect Dead appears to be a detective type documentary.  However, the film is more than just three guys obsessed with unveiling the Toynbee tiler. Hidden within the hunt for the tiler is commentary on street art and its artists. The display of Toynbee tiles across America is like a giant art installation or a form of graffiti. The story gives insight into the thoughts of why street artists prefer to remind anonymous and let their art speak for themselves.

There are three parts to “Message Behind Resurrect Dead: Anonymity and Street Artists.”

  • Reviews Indicating a Mystery Documentary
  • Film Techniques: Evidence for Tiler Suspect
  • Film Criticism: A Deeper Look into Street Art

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