Banksy is returning to the UK and curating a pop up festival / bemusement park entitled ‘Dismaland’. Located on the seaside front of Weston-Super-Mare, not far from Bristol, Dismaland will be running from 22 August until 27 September at the Tropicana, a former Lido. Revisiting Disneyland with a sinister twist, the park features attractions, sculptures and installations, three galleries showcasing the largest contemporary artwork collection ever assembled in a north Somerset town, a model village, a Cinderella’s Castle, a Guerilla Island, a cinema, a puppet show, a circus tent and a mini Golf to name a few.
Here is a map from the Dismaland’s website:
Dismaland presents a selection of international artists coming from a wide range of countries and backgrounds, with artists coming from Syria and the Middle East, an installation from Burning Man, artists from the contemporary art scene, YBA and more: AAndreas Hykade (Bavaria), Amir Schiby (Israel), Axel Void (USA), Banksy (UK), Barry Reigate (UK), Ben Long (UK), Bill Barminski (USA), Block9 (UK), Brock Davis (USA), Caitlin Cherry (USA), Caroline McCarthy (UK), Damien Hirst (UK), Darren Cullen (UK), David Shrigley (UK), Dorcas Casey (UK), Dietrich Wegner (USA), Ed Hall (UK), El Teneen (Egypt), Escif (Spain), Espo (USA), Fares Cachoux (Syria), Greg Haberny (USA), Huda Beydoun (Saudi Arabia), James Joyce (UK), Jani Leinonen (Finland), Jeff Gillette (USA), Jenny Holzer (USA), Jessica Harrison (UK), Jimmy Cauty (UK), Joanna Pollonais (Canada), Josh Keyes (USA), Julie Burchill (UK), Kate MacDowell (USA), Laura Lancaster (UK), Lee Madgwick (UK), Leigh Mulley (UK), Lush (Australia), Mana Neyestani (Iran), Maskull Laserre (Canada), Michael Beitz (USA), Mike Ross (USA), Neta Harari Navon (Israel) , Nettie Wakefield (UK), Paco Pomet (Spain), Paul Insect & BAST (UK/USA), Peter Kennard & Cat Phillips(UK), Polly Morgan (UK), Pure Evil (UK), Ronit Baranga (Israel), Sami Musa (Palestine), Scott Hove (USA), Severija Inčirauskaitė-Kriaunevičienė (Lithuania), Shadi Alzaqzouq (Palestine), Suliman Mansour (Palestine), Tammam Azzam (Syria), The Astronauts’ Caravan (UK), Tinsel Edwards (UK), Wasted Rita (Portugal), Zaria Forman (USA).
In parallel several live events will also be taking place every Friday night including Peanut Butter Wolf, Pussy Riots, Kate Tempest or Massive Attack.
Book your tickets now on Dismaland.co.uk
Dismaland
Until 27 September 2015
Tropicana
Marine Parade BS23 1BE
Weston Super Mare
Some new pictures and video from Gaza appeared on Banksy’s website, featuring a stencil version of the mythical female Greek character, Niobe, turned to stone and weeping continuously for her children.
‘If we wash our hands of the conflict between the powerful and the powerless, we side with the powerful – We don’t remain neutral’
Banksy
Back in April, following the scandal around the alleged use of mass surveillance programmes by UK intelligence services, a stencil depicting men spying on a phone booth appeared next to the government communications headquarters, GCHQ in Cheltenham (UK). When Banksy confirmed on his website in June that he had done the piece, this created a frenzy and attracted hordes of visitors.
Shortly after it was boarded and destined to be removed and sold to a London Gallery. In the turns of events, the Cheltenham Borough Council served a notice to stop work on the Grade II listed building for 28 days. In parallel a campaign to save the “Banksy Spy Booth” artwork has raised 115 000 pounds from the public so far. To be continued…
View the full set of pics here
Curated by Banksy’s former gallerist Steve Lazarides, the Unauthorized Retrospective hosted at Sotheby’s gallery space S|2 is a selling exhibition featuring from prints, originals on canvas and wood as well as sculptures. With 70 pieces from the mid-1990s to 2009, the show displays some works to the public for the first time like the stencil version of the Kissing Coppers, a Monkey Queen portrait, or “Banksus Militus Vandalus,” a taxidermy sculpture illegally installed in a natural history museum in 2004. On view through July 25, the retrospective will give Banksy fans a chance to view these rare, much talked-about works in a strange collision of worlds — from the street to the high-end auction house.
View the full set of pics here
The Banksy Unauthorized Retrospective
Until 25 July 2014
S|2
St George Street, London
butterflyartnews.com 