Banksy's "Dismaland"

I know not many of you here like 'him',
I think it's cool!
Dismaland | Bemusement Park

Here's who's playing there:
Events | Dismaland

 

Thanks for posting that, I'm now attempting to blag one of those gigs, fingers crossed.

 

If you can... PLEASE take LOTS of pix, and post 'em here....
Heck, I'll even pay you if you can 'nab' me a spare program!!!

 

That Sept. 25th line-up looks to be memorable, at the very least.

 

As you asked, plus you made me aware who was playing, then if I go and can get you a spare programme I will, I've made a phone call, turns out my friend knew about it two months ago, he'll be seeing if he can sort me out next weekend, I guess it depends on how big the guest lists are and how many people want to be on it, I really don't have much direct pull on this occasion although my friend is well connected.

It's a crazy world where it's probably easier for me to go and see the exhibition by blagging a gig than by trying to buy a ticket, I tried that approach for much of yesterday.

 

Funnily enough in a past life I've deejayed with people on two of those line ups, but I'm trying to blag another night entirely, the 25th would be the one to go to, but although I've blagged Massive Attack gigs in the past I wouldn't even know where to start these days, plus I'd imagine everyone else in Bristol will be trying to get into that one.

 

I've got a programme for Banksy's first "proper" exhibition at the Severnshed Restaurant in 2000, perhaps now is the time to ebay it with a crazy buy it now price.

 

YOU'RE AWESOME!!

 

I haven't got there yet, but if I do and can get an extra one you're welcome. I can't believe my friend kept it secret from me I'm sure my chances would be better if I'd asked before it opened.

 

Any chance is better than no chance!
I'll keep my fingers crossed for you!

 

Here's an article, and some PIX!!!
thisiscolossal

Welcome to Dismaland: A First Look at Banksy’s New Art Exhibition Housed Inside a Dystopian Theme Park [Updated 8/22]

by Christopher Jobson
August 20, 2015


Photo by Christopher Jobson for Colossal


Photo by Christopher Jobson for Colossal

WESTON-SUPER-MARE — Inside the walls of a derelict seaside swimming resort in Weston-super-Mare, UK, mysterious construction over the last month—including a dingy looking Disney-like castle and a gargantuan rainbow-colored pinwheel tangled in plastic—suggested something big was afoot. Suspicion and anticipation surrounding the unusual activity attributed to fabled artist and provocateur Banksy has reached a Willy Wonka-esque fervor. Well, if Banksy’s your bag, continue fervoring. If not, there’s more than a few reasons to continue reading.

The spectacle has since been revealed to be a pop-up art exhibition in the form of an apocalyptic theme park titled Dismaland (“The UK’s most disappointing new visitor attraction”) that will be open to the public for five weeks.


sign-front


Photo by Christopher Jobson for Colossal / CLICK FOR DETAIL

 

Dismaland brochure / Park aerial view courtesy Upfest / Photo of construction

The event has all the hallmark details of a traditional Banksy event from its initial shroud of secrecy to artistic themes of apocalypse, anti-consumerism, and pointed social critiques on celebrity culture, immigration, and law enforcement. However, there’s one major deviation: the bulk of the artwork packed into three main interior galleries was created by dozens of other artists.

So just what’s hidden inside the walls of this derelict seaside resort? A demented assortment of bizarre and beautiful artworks from no less than 58 global artists including Damien Hirst, Jenny Holzer, Jimmy Cauty, Bill Barminski, Caitlin Cherry, Polly Morgan, Josh Keyes, Mike Ross, David Shrigley, Bäst, and Espo. Banksy is also showing 10 artworks of his own.

Dismaland features a cavalcade of artists featured here on Colossal over the last few years including pieces by Escif, Maskull Lasserre, Kate McDowell, Paco Pomet, Dietrich Wegner, Michael Beitz, Brock Davis, Ronit Baranga, and others.

Here’s some text from the event’s official brochure:
Are you looking for an alternative to the soulless sugar-coated banality of the average family day out? Or just somewhere cheaper. Then this is the place for you—a chaotic new world where you can escape from mindless escapism. Instead of a burger stall, we have a museum. In place of a gift shop we have a library, well, we have a gift shop as well.

Bring the whole family to come and enjoy the latest addition to our chronic leisure surplus—a bemusement park. A theme park who’s big theme is: theme parks should have bigger themes…

This event contains adult themes, distressing imagery, extended use of strobe lighting, smoke effects and swearing. The following items are strictly prohibited: knives, spraycans, illegal drugs, and lawyers from the Walt Disney corporation.


In addition to art you’ll also find functional a terrifying carousel, a mini golf park, a ferris wheel, and some ludicrously impossible fair games (like ‘topple the anvil with a ping pong ball’ by David Shrigley), roving occupy protests, and a Star Wars stormtrooper who sulks around the exhibition in a state of complete misery. The park is staffed by morose Dismaland employees who are uninterested in being helpful or remotely informative. Entrance to the event requires an uncomfortably awkward NSA-esque security screening, and of course you get to exit through the gift shop.

Just a quick fun note, I had the honor of helping curate a small part of Dismaland: a program of 24 short films shown on a massive outdoor cinema that will play on a loop day and night. Films include shorts by Santiago Grasso & Patricio Plaza, Kirsten Lepore, The Mercadantes, Ze Frank, Adrien M. & Claire B., Black Sheep Films, and Don’t Hug Me I’m Scared.



Photo by Christopher Jobson for Colossal


Photo by Christopher Jobson for Colossal


Photo by Christopher Jobson for Colossal

 

Photo by Christopher Jobson for Colossal


Photo by Christopher Jobson for Colossal


Photo by Christopher Jobson for Colossal



night

Dismaland is open to the public from August 22 through September 27th, 2015 and information about pre-booked and at-the-gate tickets is available here. There’s also a series of events including a show by ***** Riot and Massive Attack on September 25th.

I think it goes without saying, but if you have the means, get to the UK.

Update: This post has been updated to include additional imagery, clarification, and other small corrections.

Update 2: We understand that there is difficulty with ticketing at the moment, but unfortunately this publication is not associated with the event directly. Please keep an eye on the official Dismaland websitefor updates.

Update 3: Added a video by Alex Jefferis.

 

The bench seagull attack is definitely art mimicking life, they are vicious in Weston, don't try and eat food on the seafront.

 

"Dad, I wanna ride the Grim Reaper Bumper Car now. You promised!"

 

"Now, son....... NOT until you've written that dissertation on 21st Century graffiti art!"

 

Banksy is f'ing great, love this!

 

Looks great.

 

We have a road trip planned for September, with one day off on our scheduled itinerary, so we're going to try for Dismaland tickets for that particular session.

 

This is just down the road from me and hoping to go with my daughter before she returns to Drama School (LIPA) in the next week or so.

My dad is in his 80's and is also a Banksy fan!

 

That looks awesome!

By the way, what is "blagging"? I was going to look it up rather than ask, but then I thought, it might be NSFW. Looking up slang terms on the internet can be risky. Can anyone clue me in, and if it ISN'T work safe, just let me know and I'll look it up later.

 

arrgh - made it back to Weston-Super-Mare for the 1st time in 7 years (grew up just round the corner in Uphill, left in 96) , and now this happens *starts working out how to persuade people to get me there*
Love Banksy, didn't make it last time he had an exhibition nearby.
Adore this: "Jeffrey Archer Memorial Fire Pit
Warm yourself around an authentic real open fire ceremonially lit each day by burning one of the famed local perjurer’s novels."

eta:

Pretty much, didn't see anyone get attacked but it felt like being stalked by seagulls.

eta2: yesterday's Independent had a front page photo of the Pigeon attack 'sculpture'

 

Getting (into) something for free via an excuse.

 

In this context it means to pursuade someone to put me on the guest list for free, generally where I come from it means to get something for free usually by means of verbal persuasion although personally I've always been willing to reciprocate and used to sort loads of people out when I was involved in promoting, there are darker meanings as well, it can mean deception and also robbery as in classic British TV show "The Sweeney" where there were many bank blags.

 

I'd forgotten the excuse bit as I never use it and when I was on doors I'd never let them in, but yes made up excuses were and I assume are very common blagging tactics, I prefer just to ask someone who knows someone with some real pull.