All posts tagged: Jessica Harrison

The Wonderfully Dismal Kingdom of Banksy

The Wonderfully Dismal Kingdom of Banksy

Banksy has ventured into the entertaining resort business. One that would possibly be your last resort.

A scathing social and political critique of any number of targets that routinely come under the purview of this artist/curator/commentator/showman, this big tent brings everyone inside for a beating. Rampant capitalism, civic hypocrisy, the war industry, advertising deceit, an encroaching police state, environmental destruction, the widening gap in social equality, xenophobia with its inherent racism, and our insatiable penchant for sunny denial are a partial list of woes addressed. If you don’t feel sickened or guilty after visiting Dismaland perhaps you could affect a certain smugness that says, “Finally, someone is talking about all of these important issues that I’ve been going on about.”

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Banksy. Dismaland. Weston-super-Mare, UK. (photo © Butterfly)

Cheerfully cynical and sarcastic, this magic kingdom is most successful when you are challenged to reconsider a behavior or position – and with 50 or so invited co-exhibitionists, some whose bodies of work are substantial on their own, Banksy clearly intends to challenge you and indict you with a relentless barrage of over-the-top funhouse symbolism and metaphor. If, for example, you are enthralled by those American right-wing Christian Halloween “Hell House” installations that feature pregnant teen girls in stirrups and sallow-faced gay HIV-positive patients in hospital beds you’ll cherish the harrowing Banksy path to salvation. Alas, there may be no salvation, sorry.

Here you can see bright yellow bathtub ducks swimming in an oil spill, there you can play paparazzi with the other flashing bulbs recording Cinderalla’s overturned carriage crash. Next, get a load of the toy boats dangerously overloaded with refugees and the knife-wielding butcher eye-balling the horses he’s riding with on the merry-go-round. If Disneyland clobbers you with candy-covered bromides and implausibly rosy fantasy, Dismaland brings you to the edge of the abyss of man’s folly and gently nudges you to fall into it. Or jump.

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Banksy. Dismaland. Weston-super-Mare, UK. (photo © Butterfly)

Particularly effective to the experience are the grim and listless personnel who mind the grounds and offer no clear or meaningful help. Not quite menacing, they could just be impersonating sullen teens. Perhaps they are buckling under the weight of low wages and dim opportunities on the horizon or are simply humiliated by the balloons some are made to carry that say, “I’m an Imbecil”.

On a particularly gray and dreary day periodically warmed with the sun, the photographer named Butterfly made her pilgrimage to this nightmare fairy tale by the seaside for the big opening and below she shares with BSA readers her images and observations on the pop-up exhibition to help us all feel a bit of the dreadful experience first-hand.

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Banksy. Escif. Dismaland. Weston-super-Mare, UK. (photo © Butterfly)

~ By Butterfly

Weston-Super-Mare is a British seaside town, 30 minutes from Bristol, where families spend the day out donkey riding, visiting the Seaquarium or trying arcades at the Pier while kids build sandcastles on a muddy beach in miserable weather.

Rumors had been circulating for weeks about big installations being built in the former Tropicana, a derelict lido closed since 2000 which once hosted the biggest outdoor swimming pool in Europe. The rumblings and the build up to the announcement to the show was phenomenal, along with the conjecture: Is it a film set? Is it a show? Is it a fair? Is it art?

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Banksy. Cinderella sufferd a crash. Dismaland. Weston-super-Mare, UK. (photo © Butterfly)

Finally we know: This is Banksy’s biggest show to date: Dismaland. It is, according to promotional materials “is a festival of art, amusements and entry-level anarchism.”

Moving towards Contemporary Art, the show is billed as a ‘Bemusement Park’. The global scale, diversity of installations, artworks and participating artists is unprecedented with 50 contemporary artists from 17 countries aiming to exhibit contemporary art and raise discussion about consumerism, political and environmental issues and to spur people to take action.

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Banksy. Dismaland. Weston-super-Mare, UK. (photo © Butterfly)

1000 lucky local people were invited to experience Dismaland before its’ opening to the general public. Concurrently the online ticket sales failed miserably, with the website crashing all day and earning it the award of  ‘the most disappointing new website’.

We first enter the premises through a cardboard security control room built by Bill Barminksi where the security staff asks the most random questions. After the clearing security, doors open to a sinister derelict place with trash, paper on the floor and mud. It almost looks like a dump. The surrounding staff members are dressed in pink hi-vis (vests) and are looking bored, miserable and haggard.  Some are holding David Shrigley’s ‘I’m an Imbecile’ balloons. When asking questions, they respond by whispering messages that are beyond understanding. Customer service is below standard and not responsive at best.

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Banksy. Dismaland. Weston-super-Mare, UK. (photo © Butterfly)

Surrounded by murky water with a dumped riot van that has been transformed into an impromptu water fountain, a decrepit fairy-tale castle ‘shows how it feels to be a real princess’. A sinister scene of a Cinderella pumpkin crash sculpture is lit up by the swarm of paparazzi, with flashing cameras taking photo after photo of the tragic crash scene, echoing Princess Diana’s death. You may also pose with it and have your souvenir photo of the experience.

The amusements are purposely confusing – as they don’t let you win. An ESPO sign reads

‘WINNING IS STRICTLY PROHIBITED’. Arcade fans attempt miserably to score some of the bling necklaces by shooting spray cans, only to realize that they are screwed to the wall.

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Banksy. Dismaland. Weston-super-Mare, UK. (photo © Butterfly)

Some local families were confused with Banksy’s Mediterranean Boat Ride, where the public can drive robotic boats of migrants amongst floating bodies. Kids tried to play on Paul Insect‘s overcrowded sandpit while others were desperately looking for disappearing golf balls on the impossible Mini Gulf course. Families enjoyed rides on the merry-go-round without noticing a butcher sitting next to a hanging horse draining blood with cardboard boxes marked Lasagnes (a nod to a horse food scandal in 2013).

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Banksy. Dismaland. Weston-super-Mare, UK. (photo © Butterfly)

Alongside the rides, contemporary artworks are displayed throughout the site. There is also a large indoor space hosting 3 galleries with a selection of some of the best contemporary art. A circus tent features a freak show of strange animals from Polly Morgan and Dorcas Casey to a unicorn by Damien Hirst and a Banksy animatronic rabbit that makes the magician disappear.

The seaside and funfair themes have been given a certain twist as well: A statue of a woman being attacked by seagulls (Banksy), a giant ice cream cone (Ben Long), a wooden carved horse sculpture (Maskull Lasserre), a beach ball floating above razor sharp knives (Damien Hirst), a seaside painting showing a mother and child playing on the sand unaware of the tsunami of detritus coming toward them (Banksy).

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Banksy. Dismaland. Weston-super-Mare, UK. (photo © Butterfly)

Environmental issues and relationships between human and nature are also highlighted with artworks from Paco Pomet and Josh Keyes. A Banksy killer whale sculpture is jumping out of a toilet peace. Other topics addressed are on war, geopolitics, and the Arab Spring. Artists from Palestine and Israel are displayed side by side. Within the Guerilla Island, the dome presents of series of activist banners from all over the world, including drawings from Iranian cartoonist Mana Neyestani.

A bus turned into a touring Museum of Cruel Objects curated by Dr. Gavin Grindon educates the public on surveying the role of design for social control, including CCTV. And you can sign up to one of the union stalls for action. Finally there is the mind-blowing model village installation by James Cauty called The Aftermath Dislocation Principle.

The evening turned into a big party with live music while a massive show of fireworks sealed the official opening. I found the experience to be overwhelming with so much artwork to discover and actions to be taken.

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Banksy. Dismaland. Weston-super-Mare, UK. (photo © Butterfly)

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Banksy. Dismaland. Weston-super-Mare, UK. (photo © Butterfly)

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Banksy. Espo. Dismaland. Weston-super-Mare, UK. (photo © Butterfly)

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Banksy. Paul Insect . Bast. Dismaland. Weston-super-Mare, UK. (photo © Butterfly)

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Banksy. Dismaland Art Gallery. Weston-super-Mare, UK. (photo © Butterfly)

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Banksy. Paco Pomet. Dismaland Art Gallery. Weston-super-Mare, UK. (photo © Butterfly)

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Banksy. Maskull Lassarre. Dismaland Art Gallery. Weston-super-Mare, UK. (photo © Butterfly)

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Banksy. Kate MacDowell. Dismaland Art Gallery. Weston-super-Mare, UK. (photo © Butterfly)

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Banksy. Jessica Harrison. Dismaland Art Gallery. Weston-super-Mare, UK. (photo © Butterfly)

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Banksy. Dietrich Wegner. Dismaland Art Gallery. Weston-super-Mare, UK. (photo © Butterfly)

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Banksy. Damien Hirst. Dismaland Art Gallery. Weston-super-Mare, UK. (photo © Butterfly)

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Banksy. Andreas Hykade. Dismaland Art Gallery. Weston-super-Mare, UK. (photo © Butterfly)

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Banksy. Amir Schiby. Dismaland Art Gallery. Weston-super-Mare, UK. (photo © Butterfly)

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Banksy. Dorkas Casey. Dismaland Circus. Weston-super-Mare, UK. (photo © Butterfly)

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Banksy. Dismaland. Thank you for visiting folks. Weston-super-Mare, UK. (photo © Butterfly)

 

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Fun Friday 11.09.12

What a week! Have a great Friday everybody.

1. Ron English “Crucial Fiction” at Opera (NY)
2. “Museum of Curiosity” at Black Rat (London)
3. “RELIEF” – A Brooklyn Fundraiser Tonight – Helping New Yorkers with an Art Auction
4. “High Class Trash”, Dotmasters at Reed Projects
5. “The Art of Comedy Art Crawl” (NYC)
6. Know Hope and “The Weight” (LA)
7. Lara Zombie and her “Blue Bird Lobotomy (NYC)
8. Krause Gallery has a new show featuring Hanksy (NYC)
9. “Once Upon A Time in The West” at Maximillian Gallery (West Hollywood)
10. JURNE has “Keys To The City” at Klughaus Gallery  (NYC)
11. Jurne: “Keys to the City” (VIDEO)
12. OLEK “You Can’t Fool” (VIDEO)
13. Balai Seni Visual Negara (BSVN) (VIDEO)
14. HOPSCOTCH RHA RHA RHA 2012 (VIDEO)

Ron English “Crucial Fiction” at Opera (NY)

The new solo show by Ron English,”Crucial Fiction” is now open at Opera Gallery in Manhattan. The pop surrealist continues to mine the heroic and dark images of his childhood imagination and of those around him, technically masterful 3-D contortions pulsating with mischief and an attitude of play. Street Artist, commercial artist, anti-commercial artist, culture jammer, pop culture enthusiast; English continues to explore to the delight of his fans.

Ron English (photo © Jaime Rojo)

For further information regarding this show click here.

“Museum of Curiosity” at Black Rat (London)

An unusual group exhibition titled “The Museum of Curiosity” is now open at Black Rat Projects and includes a new installation titled “Dream Reliquary” by Brooklyn based Street and Fine Artist SWOON. The show also includes American artist Butch Anthony along with Tessa Farmer, Candice Tripp, Nancy Fouts, Giles Walker, Jessica Harrison, Taylor Shepherd, Delaney Martin and Oscar Rink. A very personal show for Black Rat owner Mike Snell, you also get to see as well centuries old taxidermy and a hippo skull, among other curiosities.

Butch Anthony “CEO2LED” installation in Rossyln, Virginia. (image courtesy © Butch Anthony official site)

For further information regarding this show click here.

“RELIEF” – A Brooklyn Fundraiser Tonight – Helping New Yorkers with an Art Auction

Making Deals Zine and Trumbull Studios have teamed to put together a silent auction and raffle with the proceeds to bring relief to Sandy’s victims. They reached out to dozens of artists and friends to donate art for this cause. The event aptly titled “RELIEF” will take place today at the Trumbull Studios in Brooklyn. Please come out, have fun, purchase art and help those that are in need. Click on the link below the image for a full list of participating artists.

All proceeds from the sales will go to designated charities for the victims of Hurricane Sandy: New York Cares (nycares.org), Red Hook Initiative (rhicenter.org) and the Red Cross (redcross.org).

For further information and full artists list click here.

“High Class Trash”, Dotmasters at Reed Projects

In Stavanger, Norway the Reed Projects Gallery new show opens tonight with The Dotmasters “High Class Trash” solo show.

For further information regarding this show click here.

“The Art of Comedy Art Crawl” (NYC)

Hit the streets with Vandalog and The New York Comedy Festival, who are teamed to produce a number of murals in Little Italy in the Lower Manhattan. There will be an art crawl,  “The Art of Comedy Art Crawl” to be precise this Saturday, Nov. 10 where Street Art fans are going to be guided to appreciate the newly installed pieces by Ron English, Gilf! and Hanksy.

Gilf! in Little Italy for The Art of Comedy. (photo © Jaime Rojo)

For further information regarding this event click here.

Know Hope and “The Weight” (LA)

The Israeli based Street Artist named Know Hope has a solo show called “The Weight” opening tomorrow at the Known Gallery in Los Angeles, CA. Know Hope unique characters and words come together on walls and found wood as entire poems. His art aims to lighten the burden of living, while contemplating it’s weight.

Know Hope struggles with Phlegm on the streets of Manhattan. (photo © Jaime Rojo)

For further information regarding this show click here.

Also happening this weekend:

Lara Zombie and her “Blue Bird Lobotomy” solo show is now open to the general public at Broome Street Gallery in Manhattan, NY. Click here for more details on this show.

Krause Gallery has a new show featuring Hanksy called “Young Puns 2 – Now With More Pun”. Now open to the general public in Manhattan, NY. Click here for more details.

The new group exhibition “Once Upon A Time in The West” at Maximillian Gallery in West Hollywood, CA opens tomorrow with new works by Andy Appleton, Mauro Caputo, John Carr, COL, COPE2, DD$, DeeKay, Dog Byte, Richard Duardo, Rene Gagnon, Gregos, Listak, Devin Liston, Septerhed, Smear, Steven Swimmer and Tazroc. Click here for more details on this show.

Klughaus Gallery in Lower Manhattan will give JURNE the “Keys To The City” at the opening of his solo show tomorrow. Click here for more details on this show.

 

Jurne: “Keys to the City” (VIDEO)

OLEK “You Can’t Fool” (VIDEO)

 

Balai Seni Visual Negara(BSVN), Malaysia for ART BOOK FAIR 2012 (VIDEO)

HOPSCOTCH RHA RHA RHA 2012 (VIDEO)

A good use of duct tape on the street in Indonesia. – And an effective way to engage the public.

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Black Rat Projects Presents “The Museum of Curiosty” A Group Exhibition (London, UK)

Black Rat Projects

Swoon “Dream Reliquiary” (photo © courtesy Swoon Studio)

Our new show opens Thursday night. It’s about wonder and is a modern Museum Of Curiosity. Swoon has been over for a week installing the Dream Reliquary sculpture and we also have works by Tessa Farmer, Butch Anthony, Candice Tripp, Nancy Fouts, Giles Walker, Jessica Harrison, Taylor Shepherd, Delaney Martin and Oscar Rink. As well as lots of curiosities – hippo skull, taxidermy ostrich from 1785 and so on.

 

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