The controversial artist unveiled a new piece of art on the wall of the Royal Court of Justice
Amidst the upheaval surrounding Banksy’s brand new art piece, which recently appeared on the wall of the Royal Courts of Justice, we can’t help but be reminded of their potentially most controversial work to date – and it was an entire exhibit.
Ten years ago, in the summer of 2015, people across the UK were flooding through the gates of Dismaland, the Banksy exhibit that acted as a ‘bemusement park’. The subversive tourist attraction was housed in Weston-super-Mare, within the old Tropicana lido, where the unknown artist was thought to have holidayed themselves as a child.
The exhibition included everything from huge installations to small drawings that spoke on matters such as climate change, consumerism, war, surveillance and the refugee crisis – all topics that feel even more relevant 15 years later. Notably, adding to the ‘dismal’ feel of the place were the employees hired as actors.
From the moment you entered the theme park, you were treated terribly by the staff – it was their job to seem miserable and uninterested and, in some cases, rile up guests. The initial entrance saw fake security guards using cardboard equipment eyeing up and searching attendees as they handed out black balloons labelled ‘I am an imbecile’.
An employee of the temporary amusement park, Kurtis Young, told the BBC: “At the time I was just out of college and didn’t have a job. I saw an advert in the local paper for movie extra roles and runners. It didn’t say exactly what it was; it was all very secretive, but I thought, ‘That sounds fun.'”
“It was all a bit confusing. A lot of people dropped out because they thought, ‘What are we even doing?’ We didn’t find out officially until we got to the location.”
Like all of Banksy’s work, the art installations were intended to shock people and provoke thought and conversation. With a play on Disneyland, one of the pieces featured Cinderella toppled over in her carriage, seemingly dead as she hung out of the window, with paparazzi swarming the scene to capture the brutal moment.
A local resident and former art student, Ms Goodhind also told the BBC about the emotions this work evoked for her as a visitor. She explained: “If you’re stood in front of a painting, it’s very flat. You are the observer.
“But interacting with art makes you connect with it. It makes you feel like you play a part in this. You can change this.”
While there are no plans for a Dismaland rebrand 15 years on, it’s no secret that the exhibition helped to shine a light on the potential of the Tropicana building for future events. It’s believed that Banksy’s artistic endeavour helped to generate an impressive £20 million, boosting the local economy, and tourists flooded the area to catch a glimpse of the artist’s political commentary.