Banksy launches dystopian Disneyland in derelict outdoor swimming pool
Banksy, the pioneering British graffiti artist best known for satirical street art and social commentary, has now created the world鈥檚 first 鈥渂emusement park鈥�, a dystopian theme park called "Dismaland."
Occupying the derelict Tropicana swimming pool in the English resort town Weston-super-Mare, Dismaland will feature the work of almost 50 international artists. Showcasing Banksy鈥檚 characteristically dark humor, the exhibition offers a range of remarks on the state of affairs in Britain today. It is also just a 20-minute drive from the artist鈥檚 hometown.
鈥淚 always loved the Tropicana as a kid, so getting to throw these doors open again is a real honor,鈥� Banksy told聽, the local paper that broke the official news of the pop-up show鈥檚 opening.聽 鈥淚 hope that everyone from Weston will take the opportunity to once more stand in a muddle of murky water eating cold chips to the sound of crying children.鈥�
According to the project鈥檚 website, Dismaland will be a 鈥渇estival of art, amusements, and entry-level anarchism鈥�. 聽Keeping with the style of most modern theme parks, Dismaland comes equipped with a castle and merry-go-round horse. Only in the case of Banksy鈥檚 dystopian version, the decrepit castle is missing much of its covering and the horse is set be sent to the barbecue, a jab at the supermarket scandal that erupted when horsemeat was discovered in 鈥減rocessed beef鈥� in supermarket chains across the United Kingdom. 聽
Another attraction features a model pensioner engulfed in seagulls, a parody of the media frenzy that caused British Prime Minister David Cameron to that we need to have a 鈥渂ig conversation鈥� about aggressive birds, and almost led to a nationally funded research project on the subject. 聽There is also a model boat filled with migrants, a nod to Europe鈥檚 current immigration crisis and the many individuals camped in France鈥檚 port town Calais waiting for an opportunity to cross the channel to England.
Western culture, capitalism, and extreme wealth disparities are in this site of satire, where the activist musical artists Pussy Riot and Massive Attack are expected to perform Friday.
鈥凄颈蝉尘补濒补苍诲听聽a contemporary art gallery; a 鈥榞othic sculpture park鈥� housed in a tent; a bonfire where books by the much-maligned novelist Jeffrey Archer, a local lord, will be incinerated daily; and an 鈥榦il caliphate themed鈥� mini-golf course. Artists whose work is showing include Damien Hirst, Jenny Holzer and David Shrigley,鈥� the .
Banksy will also present 10 new works of art at the park.
鈥淎re you looking for an alternative to the sugar-coated tedium of the average family day out? Or just somewhere a lot cheaper?鈥� prompts.
Admission to the park is only three British pounds for adults and free for children under the age of five. The park will remain open to visitors for five weeks, closing after Sept. 27.聽
