“Become good at cheating and you never need to become good at anything else.” So wrote Banksy in 2005’s Wall and Piece. The irony, of course, is that — perhaps even admirably — it’s a sentiment the pseudonymous artist has been living and working by his entire career. Convince people you’re a necessarily-covert, revolutionary, quasi-anarchistic, anti-capitalist artist and you can bank millions without ever having to give up your real name or put yourself on the line by taking a public stand against anything. But Dismaland looks, though yes the pickings are slim, to be Banksy’s most interesting work to date: the conversion of a derelict lido in Weston-super-mare into a kind of skeletal Disneyland where clammy, almost-nightmares — rather than dreams — are made is an obvious one-up on painting a wall with totemic clichés.
And, In true British seaside style, the team behind Dismaland have donned their metaphorical red blazers and pulled together some entertainment for the punters. Not only will the self-styled "bemusement park" (just typing that was a struggle) host contributions from a globe-spanning list of artists — from Damien Hirst to Sami Musa — but Run The Jewels, Massive Attack, Savages and Sleaford Mods have all been announced as appearing as part of the weekly line-up.
Musing that the park’s theme is that "theme parks should have bigger themes", in a taste of what’s to come, the BBC quote the artist as saying: "A dead princess is only complete when surrounded by gawping crowds with their cameras out or the opportunity to photograph yourself pulling an amazed expression when a killer whale leaps from a toilet".
Billed as "The UK’s most disappointing new visitor attraction", it’s pretty clear that no-one at team Banksy visited Laurence Llewelyn-Bowen’s Magical Journey last year.
Or maybe it’s the yardstick.
Dismaland will be open everyday from 22nd August – 27th September 2015.
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