Along with fifty-eight other artists, Banksy led the construction of Dismaland, a rather dystopian riff on Disneyland that is marketed as “the latest addition to our chronic leisure surplus.” (Interestingly enough, legal representative from the Walt Disney Corporation are banned from the park.) Works include Banksy’s Cinderella recreates Princess Diana’s death, Maskull Lasserre’s Skeletal Merry-go-Round, and Darren Cullen’s Pocket Money Loans. The theme park paints the social institution of leisure (among various other institutions) in light uncharacteristic of its inspiration.
Banksy labeled the project a “bemusement park”, and is consistent with the characteristically cynical commentary his works frequently present. Bansky appears to be critiquing the increasingly commercial and manufa
ctured nature of the Disney brand, which is unsurprising given his anti-capitalist stance which he expresses in his book Wall and Piece by saying “You owe the companies nothing. You especially don’t owe them any courtesy. They have re-arranged the world to put themselves in front of you. They never asked for your permission, don’t even start asking for theirs.” The artist and animator address a number of similar themes through their work albeit from different angles. Banksy’s image of a young child painting “You’re never too young to dream big” on a wall could parallel with Disney’s famous “If you can dream it, you can do it.” The conflict in their work primarily comes down to the difference in their audience and message: Banksy has shown little concern for whether his decidedly subversive work offends, while Walt Disney was committed to creating art for the pleasure and enjoyment of a family-friendly audience.
After permanently closing its doors, Dismaland was actually dismantled and turned into another ‘project’ titled, “Dismal aid.” Repurposed structural scraps from the ‘bemusement park’ found new life in the ever-growing Calais refugee camp as shelters for families.
Featured image by Byrion Smith from UK (Banksy’s Dismaland) via Wikimedia Commons