Final Blog Prompt Olivia Sharpe

Banksy and others, “Dismaland”

Banksy, an elusive British artist known for politically charged works, is an excellent illustration of how artists draw attention to the dystopian aspects of life. Banksy’s Dismaland, in particular, adds a bleak reimagining of a classic amusement park. It starkly contrasts the escapist fantasies generated by parks such as Disneyland and Disney World and contains its fair share of twisted Disney references. This project featured over 58 hand-picked artists, inspired in part by Jeff Gilette, who has been criticizing Disney for years. It is a commentary on the commodification of happiness, as well as the underlying corruption often hidden behind pop culture. Through recognizable theme part aesthetics—cartoonish figures, bright colors, and playful designs—it challenges viewers to consider what they take for granted in their daily lives. With its lackluster, unwelcoming design, the shabby castle installation subverts expectations of spectacle and idealization. This castle resembles the Sleeping Beauty Castle in Disneyland, California, and the Cinderella Castle in Disney World, Florida. This installation suggests that Disney and other major corporations are concealing something sinister beneath their "happiest place on earth" front. Dismaland is full of absurdity, such as Michael Beitz’s Picnic Bench, which distorts from a typical picnic bench into a loop before returning back to ordinary. Alternatively, there is a bench that features a sitting woman being attacked by seagulls. Big Rig Jig by Mike Ross is a towering installation constructed out of two repurposed 18-wheeler trucks. It is a commentary on America’s unsustainable use of oil, as well as the oil industry, which is the intersection of the world’s social, environmental, and political systems. In contrast to the Dismaland castle’s abandoned appearance, its dazzling design showcases both admiration and anxiety regarding humanity’s capabilities. Dismaland features an armored police vehicle submerged in swampy water that is humorously transformed into a waterslide. Similarly, there is a Mini Gulf golf course composed of pollution, or Hook-A-Duck from the muck, containing an oil-covered pelican standing atop a pile of garbage. These three artworks offer a fun take on oil pollution and pollution in general. Banksy’s Dreamboat installation uses remote-controlled miniature boats to emphasize the refugee crisis off the coast of Europe. Banksy also created a sculpture of an orca hopping from a toilet through a hoop, highlighting the twisted nature of animal-themed attractions such as Sea World. Such attractions confine animals to cramped spaces and force them to perform. This causes extreme stress, increases aggression, and has even resulted in the deaths of individuals. For example, Tilikum, an orca, killed three after being subjected to these conditions, which could be what this statue is referencing. Dismaland also has a security screening room filled with cardboard tools and child-like playthings, making it just as fabricated as the threats it's protecting you from. Another installation called Pocket Money Loans by Darren Cullen allows children in need of more cash to get an advance on their pocket money for a mere five thousand percent interest. Nearby was a playground with broken-down toys and items that children could “play with.” This piece is a critique of the sneaky nature of advertising and entrapment in debt. Merry-Go-Round features a strung-up horse and a butcher brandishing a knife. It is in reference to the UK horsemeat scandal, where horsemeat erringly entered the supply chain as beef. This Dismaland addition highlights the vulnerability of the global food supply to fraud. Finally, there is the pièce de résistance: an upturned carriage with Cinderella hanging out of it and paparazzi reminiscent of Princess Diana’s tragic death. This piece demonstrates the invasiveness of paparazzi, media coverage, and even the average citizen's fixation on a celebrity. Overall, Dismaland is a powerful and unsettling collection of artworks. Even the staff were trained to be purposely rude and unhelpful.