Dismaland : new park in Weston-super-Mare!

[Smithy]

^ That is literally the point of contemporary art.

Yet everyone is presenting it in such a matter of fact way as if he's definitely taking the piss out of people who visit theme parks when I just think they want that to be their interpretation of it so they can get worked up about it.

I personally see it as a dig at corporations, a dig at commercialism, that's a surface-deep view of it, and I admit that. I just feel as if people (not necessarily in here, I've struggled to keep up with this topic, long posts and a mobile phone don't make for easy browsing) are choosing to look as deep into it as they can to try and justify beliefs they hold about Banksy/Modern Art/His Targets that already existed.

Eh, I guess you've completely and utterly summed up why what I've said and what everyone else has said about it is utterly pointless because each has their own interpretation of it that is neither right nor wrong.

Except that those who queue up for hours on end just to get in are idiots. I think we're all agreed on that.

 

[TommyAlex]

The way I see it, it's just taking a happy place and making it depressing. I'm not looking into the meaning of it because I don't care about the meaning of it. It's just a piece of art. It's unique. I don't care what he's saying about theme parks or the people who go to them. I just see it as a piece of art that shows the complete opposite of what a theme park is: a happy place. If people are going to get mad over this, why let it bother you?

 

[Ethan]

Is it that unique though? Literally nothing has surprised or shocked me when looking at Dismaland. Everything is just so... dumbed down and it's full of obvious metaphors?

Not my cup of tea at all. To me it's not even art, and Banksy is becoming what he sets out to mock.

 

[PeskyTrimBrake]

The piece it self is fantastic. The message behind it though is **** pretentious. He's acting like an SJW on Tumblr bitching about every single issue that is out there.

 

[Ethan]

I don't think it's good visually either, though. The castle is ok, but it just feels like he's had some ideas and has literally plonked them awkwardly on a slab of concrete. For me there is no feeling that the "magic" of Disney has gone because it doesn't look like a theme park in the first place.

 

[SaiyanHajime]

The killer whale installation is more interesting as it criticises theme park practice, but on the tail of the Black Fish film it seems too little too late (and we don't even have large sea mammal exhibits in the UK anyway).

Yes!

This is the thing - when people say this is criticising all amusements, particularly shabby ones in the UK, I'm like... Whaa? Have you seen the exhibits?

I remember art teachers as early as a-level being like, always make art about stuff that affects you. Don't try to make art about issues that you might care about, but have no experience of. It's like contemporary fine art 101. It looks so weird to make references to Disney and Seaworld in the UK. I get that they're using Disney's as iconic, recognisable logos in place of the wider attractions industry, sure... But the orca? Like Sue says, we don't have large marine mammals in the UK, the Seaworld debate literally does not affect any of us past deciding whether or not to visit these places abroad. And whilst the orca probably just represents how attractions package crap or crap practises or whatever as entertainment, in the wake of Blackfish it's just an animal right's icon and one that isn't relevant. It just looks like the artists are riding upon the success of Blackfish. With no profound statements of their own to make, they're turning to the regurgitated remains - someone else's profound statement.

The cinderella/princess Diana thing is more on point - at least that's of cultural relevance - but **** hell, how may years irrelevant? At least the kind of "stop and stare" mentality is loosely linked to what occurred at Smiler, I spose, but again - Diana is a reference only used to people can feel smart about getting the reference. These references are more akin to those you'd find in a mainstream movie or game, not a fine art piece. It's weird.

^ That is literally the point of contemporary art.

Yet everyone is presenting it in such a matter of fact way as if he's definitely taking the piss out of people who visit theme parks when I just think they want that to be their interpretation of it so they can get worked up about it.

I personally see it as a dig at corporations, a dig at commercialism, that's a surface-deep view of it, and I admit that. I just feel as if people (not necessarily in here, I've struggled to keep up with this topic, long posts and a mobile phone don't make for easy browsing) are choosing to look as deep into it as they can to try and justify beliefs they hold about Banksy/Modern Art/His Targets that already existed.

Eh, I guess you've completely and utterly summed up why what I've said and what everyone else has said about it is utterly pointless because each has their own interpretation of it that is neither right nor wrong.

Except that those who queue up for hours on end just to get in are idiots. I think we're all agreed on that.

Ok, in fairness, I see your point. It certainly is a dig at corporation and commercialism in general, but I think there's more to it than that from Banksy's own statements. He's literally said that the theme of the show is that "theme parks should have bigger themes" which means he feels that theme parks are shallow and should spend more time educating their guests about the problems that exist in the world. Aside from how **** stupid that idea is, the piece is very immature all round.

 

[furie]

To me, this looks like Banksy had "a good idea" and then has shoehorned things into it. Banksy is well known for his open criticism of Disney (see 'Exit Through Gift Shop') and he's had a vague idea of a way of openly criticising it and calling it art.

The reason there's such debate is because it's such a mix of inconsistent ideas. Banksy is doing big anti-corporate theme park stuff. Yet you have stuff like the refugee boats that seem to be criticising the guests of these places for spending money on the shallow enjoyment rather than concentrating on real issues in the world. It's a mix of disparate and conflicting critiques that doesn't seem to fit well under the exhibition's claimed theme. That's because it's exactly that, an exhibition. It's works under a similar theme gathered together for people to enjoy.

The problem is that Banksy seems to want the exhibition to say one thing, but the collection of art he's put together doesn't always fit neatly. So it comes across as a load of twoddle.

However, the biggest thing here is being missed, except by...

It looks like he's copied one of those parks in China, they should sue for copyright!
But it does seem like Merlin have some competition now, seeing how much they like "theming" things derelict.

Every single credit hunter on this site has been to a park which is in a more dire and derelict locale, with worse theming and is considerably more dismal and more of a statement on the awful state of some of the UK's areas and parks that are set up to entertain them.

I think Ian got it right when he said about a load of middle class hipsters going around the exhibit stroking their beards and feeling all clever and stuff - while in some areas of the country, people on the breadline are visiting places much grimmer as an actual escape from a life pretty much of poverty; where a plastic knock off Genie from Aladdin is as close to Disney as they will probably ever get.

For somebody who makes big claims about political statements, suddenly the entire thing really is wildly off the mark. It does just come across as a personal dig at something that seems to irk him for some reason - then rapidly dumped together in some way he thinks makes it a consistent whole...

 

[Gazza]

With respect to stuff being jammed in...The two bendy stacked oil tankers were at Burning Man previously, so they look random.

 

[caffeine_demon]

And the web site is down again!!

 

[mouse]

^ I'm not sure whether that is a deliberate part of the experience or not...

 

[furie]

With respect to stuff being jammed in...The two bendy stacked oil tankers were at Burning Man previously, so they look random.

So was a derelict Disney Castle. The whole thing just stinks of "that's cool... Wait, I've an idea, let's put some **** together and pretend it's a properly planned exhibition and not just a bit of a whine".

 

[caffeine_demon]

So - was trying to get one for the weekend , went online pretty much as soon as I could after the "12pm opening" (which was closer to about half one).

Clicked 2pm saturday, 1 ticket and "continue" - 2 minutes later, "network error"

clicked 2pm saturday, none available, so 11am saturday - 1 ticket, continue - 2 minutes later, "network error".

Sold out 11am saturday too, and 2pm sunday, 11am sunday had tickets left, 2 minutes later, "network error".

I think you get the picture - did anyone get tickets?

 

[TommyAlex]

[tweet][/tweet]

So - was trying to get one for the weekend , went online pretty much as soon as I could after the "12pm opening" (which was closer to about half one).

Clicked 2pm saturday, 1 ticket and "continue" - 2 minutes later, "network error"

clicked 2pm saturday, none available, so 11am saturday - 1 ticket, continue - 2 minutes later, "network error".

Sold out 11am saturday too, and 2pm sunday, 11am sunday had tickets left, 2 minutes later, "network error".

I think you get the picture - did anyone get tickets?

That's intentional.

 

[cjbrandy]

Personally I think the website is faulty because of the sheer amount of people trying to get tickets. To intentionally gimp the site where you pay for tickets doesn't make financial sense for Banksy and the other people who take a slice of the profits.

 

[Robbie]

Personally I think the website is faulty because of the sheer amount of people trying to get tickets. To intentionally gimp the site where you pay for tickets doesn't make financial sense for Banksy and the other people who take a slice of the profits.

It's all very well taking the piss, but Disney and Alton Towers don't have these problems.

 

[davidm]

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