One of the most famed and most mysterious artists - Banksy is known for art that is often scathing commentary on society and politics.
And now that commentary is taking on Disneyland in a new art exhibit dubbed “Dismaland“, which is a “bemusement park” set in the former Tropicana outdoor swimming pool in Weston, England.
The chatter about Banksy's new 'theme park' has been mixed - a dim, grainy version of the Disney branding, promising the exact opposite of the Magic Kingdom of Disney - offering scares instead of sweetness.
In a statement, the artist claimed:
'I loved the Tropicana as a kid, so getting to throw these doors open again is a real honour. I hope everyone from Weston will take the opportunity to once more stand in a puddle of murky water eating cold chips to the sound of crying children'.
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Banksy said: the show "offers an escape from mindless escapism"
Banksy' satirical street art and subversive epigrams combining dark humour with graffiti have brought him notoriety, but his brand is now colossal, and Dismaland in Weston-super-Mare is set to offer a whole new dimension.
Many of the works require "audience participation".
"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," Banksy said.
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A group of migrants huddled in a boat with another pointing its guns at them by Banksy
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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...."
On the official website, a prohibition list includes, “…legal representatives of the Walt Disney Corporation.”
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A school photograph of Robert Gunningham who many believe to be Banksy. He has never revealed his true identity to the public
Banksy's team initially claimed the former lido was being used as a top secret film set to keep the exhibition under wraps
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LAUNCHING Dismaland, Banksy said: "It's with great pleasure we throw open the doors of the Tropicana once again, I've dreamed of installing a theme park on this site ever since I walked past the building six months ago and peered through a gap in the fence. But this is not your average sugar-coated fantasyland selling scrapings from the Hollywood floor. No, we couldn't afford the licence for that.
"Instead this is an attempt to build a different kind of family day out -one that sends a more appropriate message to the next generation - sorry kids."
Our reporter Sophie Prideaux was one of the first people to look around Weston's latest attraction...
From the name of the show, to the sinister version of Disney's iconic castle just visible over the top of the Tropicana's crumbling walls, it was clear the direction Banksy was headed with his latest show.
Rumours went into overdrive after a woman believed to be Holly Cushing, who is thought to be Banksy's manager, was spotted at the site
An aerial view of the old Tropicana site in Weston-super-Mare, Somerset, where Banksy is preparing his 'Dismaland' exhibition
xhibition guides at the Dismaland park in Weston-super-Mare were holding balloons during the press day for Banksy's biggest show to date today.
The balloons appeared to be in reference to his two famous pieces which feature young girls with a single balloon or bunch
Banksy has previously featured Mickey Mouse in an artwork which also included Ronald McDonald and Phan Thi Kim Phuc. While he says Dismaland is not a 'swipe at Disney', the name of his 'bemusement park' - also boasting a castle - is an obvious take on Disneyland
Banksy has featured one piece of the Grim Reaper riding the dodgems at Dismaland Bemusement Park, which could be reference to the street artist's other works which have seen him feature a grim reaper sitting on a clock (left) and one which shows the figure smiling
2015
Birnbeck Pier is home to the Weston-super-Mare Lifeboat Station.
Since its closure ownership has passed hands many times and it has been subject to a series of proposals for its redevelopment which have all proved fruitless. The pier remains in a largely derelict state.
In 2008 Weston-super-Mare's Grand Pier has been completely destroyed by a fire.
3 Abandoned Pleasure Piers in the UK
http://www.urbanghostsmedia.com/2009/12/...ure-piers/
Organisers of Banksy's Dismaland have told the public that tickets will go on sale from 12noon Friday August 21- but the website has already crashed in the rush.
Hundreds of thousands of people are already trying to log in to the Dismaland website to try and get tickets, causing it to crash.
Those trying to get on the website now will be disappointed even if they get to the sessions page and book tickets.
Some 1,000 tickets have now gone to lucky residents in North Somerset who were there this morning with a utility bill.
A seller on Ebay listed four tickets to Banksy's bemusement park at Weston-super-Mare.
A total of 21 bids had been made for the Dismaland tickets, which were worth £2,550.
The tickets have now disappeared from the site.
The auction was due to end at 12:30pm on Monday August 24. The tickets claimed to be for entry on September 2.
Thousands of people are queuing along the Weston-super-Mare seafront hoping to catch a glimpse of Banksy's Dismaland exhibition.
The brand-new installation theme park, which has been built on the former Tropicana lido site, is gives visitors access to an alternative and dark version of the Disneyland franchise.
Some 1,000 people who live in North Somerset were given the chance to claim a free ticket to the exhibition.
Fans camped through the night to secure their place in line, and all 1,000 were handed out within an hour.
IT'S not that Weston-super-Mare was not on the map before Banksy and his clan of world-renowned artists pitched up, it's just the map was one mostly used by a certain kind of tourist. The kind of tourist who arrives on a coach and leaves clutching a stick of rock.
And there's nothing wrong with that. But thanks to the arrival of Dismaland, Weston has made it onto the world map. Journalists from around the globe now have a derelict, crumbling building on the town's seafront surrounded, and the images are being shown in papers and on television screens worldwide.
One look at the Dismaland hashtag on Twitter will bring up hundreds of people who are booking plane tickets to visit the 'bemusement' park from as far afield as Germany, New York, and even Singapore. And with them they are expected to bring as much as £7million into the local economy, according to Weston's top tourism website.
Banksy's Dismaland exhibition will open to the public on Saturday August 22, 2015.
The display, his first in the South West for more than five years, will be housed at the old Tropicana building in Western-super-mare and will run for the next six weeks.
Thousands of people queued for hours to see the Bristol artist's last exhibition, Banksy Vs Bristol Art Museum, when it was held at the Bristol Museum and Art Gallery six years ago.
In an attempt to prevent similar scenes, visitors will need to buy a £3 ticket to the exhibition from a special Dismaland website.
The exhibit open for two sessions each day – 11am to 6pm or 7pm to 11pm.
A limited number of tickets will also be available at the site.
Some 1,000 tickets have been reserved for people who live in North Somerset and residents can claim a free pass by showing a utility bill.
The Tropicana site has been divided in to 18 areas including Cinderella's Castle, Jeffery Archer Memorial Fire Pit, Mini Gulf and Gruerilla Island.
Alongside original work from Banksy, the show will also feature pieces from Damien Hirst, Barry Reigate, Jenny Holzer and Jessica Harrison among others.
According to the website the exhibition will host live music every Friday night including performances from DJ Yoda, Pussy Riot, Massive Attack and many more.
Comedians Roger Monkhouse, Katherine Ryan and Adam Bloom will also take to the stage.
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