BANKSY - DISMALAND - Lot 48

BANKSY - DISMALAND Dismal dollar with CND Soldiers / Stencil on real dollar bill / Stencil signature and stamp "Dismaland. Stencil signature and "Dismaland. Bemusement Park" on front / 6.6 x 15.5 cm Banksy is a British urban artist, more specifically a street art graffiti artist. He works under a pseudonym. His real name and exact identity are unknown and still the subject of speculation. Apparently British and active since the 1990s, he uses stencil paint to convey his messages, which often mix politics, humor and poetry. He draws graffiti and frescoes on the walls of England, as messages to society. His first works were seen in Bristol around 1999. It was "The Mild Mild West", a mural depicting a teddy bear throwing grenades at riot police. The appearance of this work in particular caught the public's attention, and since then he has become one of England's most renowned artists. Most of his creations, such as the "Rat", "Lover Mobile" and "Little Girl with a Balloon" have even been published in showrooms in several countries. But Banksy didn't stop at graffiti. In 2015, he also opened his first theme park, which he named "Dismaland". The name comes from the combination of two words: Disneyland and gloomy. In other words, it's an amusement park that shows the other side of the Disney world we tend to see. So, unlike conventional amusement centers, it doesn't show enchanted settings, but rather a chaotic, messy, but very artistic place. Indeed, Banksy referred to this chaos when he called the park "Britain's most disappointing new attraction". There's a burnt-out replica of a Disney castle, a police van used by the Irish that's been refurbished as a toboggan, an upside-down Ferris wheel and other equally sad and bizarre attractions. There are also numerous works of art, by renowned artists such as Damien Hirst, Mike Ross, Jessica Harrison and, of course, Banksy. Nevertheless, despite being a creepy park, it's not all doom and gloom. Many activities are open to the public, giving them plenty of opportunity to have fun.