The Day (Day’s) I went to Dismaland

Excited or what? News came over the waves in 2015 that Banksy was doing something big, I tried everything I knew to find out what but fell flat on my face.

Weston-Super-Mare was buzzing about this thing they could see it being built, no one knew what the thing was but this seemed to be it and then bingo up pops the booking system for Dismaland a ‘bemusement park’ unsuitable for children, perfect something I can enjoy without kiddie winkies around my ankles. (I do love children by the way I have 3 ‘just about’ tame ones)

Well I have to tell you if you didn’t go that it was just the most incredible art show you could see and 5 years later it still sits like that in my mind.

The full weight of Banksy can be seen, smelt, felt, heard, touched and delved into senses I didn’t know I had, the legacy of this show is also very interesting, more of that later.

What did we see, well massive timed queues, people were turning up way early for their slots in anticipation as we know Banksy always gives back and the hopefuls were there ‘hoping’? It started right there at the entrance door with the brilliant cardboard CCTV and fake airport like security system by Bill Barminski run by stewards (security) acting for their lives looking really depressed and telling you NOT to smile!

This first experience was incredible in itself a fabulous art installation just to get in, then next up was the brochure booth, greeted by another mardy steward/seller who banged my changed down so hard it nearly broke the van it was in and he didn’t say a word which was brilliant and I was in stitches. ( Found out later this was where some lucky people got given Banksy swag like DI-FACED £10.

The actual exhibits were incredible from a selection of hand-picked artists and for me the highlight had to be the very controversial Banksy Cinderella exhibit, depicting the Disney princess's horse-drawn pumpkin carriage, appearing to re-enact the death of Princess Diana. This was hidden away within a derelict Disney Castle at the centre of the park that you queued to enter it came complete with paps, papping away producing at the end a photo of you actually next to the exhibit. A mighty statement by Banksy this one never mind your views the irony was not left at the door on this one……. Just brilliant

The show lasted for 36 days was seen by approx..150,000 people and was said to have generated about £20m for the local economy and made use of the long dead Lido for a while, its legacy remains and perhaps the most important of all is that Banksy re-cycled materials used and sent them mostly to Calais to be used in the camps by homeless migrants.

I have one of the Cinderella pictures it’s on the wall, just an amazing piece of Art.

Dismaland Cinderella Banksy Installation

The Day I went to Dismaland