Pick a Piece from Dismaland and Discuss

The refugee piece was potent, tbh while i was there i only thought about the message momentarily because there was so much going on, meeting lots of people trying not to miss anything, when you first see the refugee from a distance the automatic thought was fun, childhood memories, remote control boats but when you get up close and see the expressions of the models its powerful, a harsh reality check that human beings like us are dying in an attempt to be free, to have a better life, to survive.
The Diana piece was haunting, the duck grab was actually great fun as a game, it was almost impossible, made impossible by the staff who slapped the rod away when you had the slightest chance of winning even taking it off you and throwing it on the ground, then you look at the pelican dripping in oil and the prize, a fishfinger in a bag, childhoof memory of winning a goldfish as a kid which likely often died, reality strikes of how humanity treats animals, nature and our enviroment. Im glad i got plenty of photos because at the time it was an overload on the senses, difficult to capture or explain the experience, it was overwhelming, the logistics of putting the show on were mind boggling!!

That was funny, everyone was putting 100% in, even trying 2 or 3 balls when 1 didnt do it!

I spent forever there watching kids and adults alike read that sign. Even better watching some of the players whip the balls at the dismal employees working the stand. i love it and probably due to the sensory overload you alluded towards above.  Loved that dj in your avatar too

May be you should stop accusing, just looking at the pics and actually visit. Your quoting the obvious as it's obvious from the pics but to understand the piece fully you have to play it...:.:I suggest you dothenyou will not be quite so judgement slat anyone who actually did it and fully experienced the piece.........that's why Otis so good andcengages, hallenges the userwhatevertheir thoughts and views. Whether old and looking back and able to understand the news or very young and needing your parents to explain what's going on and why.

Well, I haven't been to the show or seen the works yet, but that doesn't usually stop people from forming opinions.

I don't know the artist's intentions with the piece, so these are just my thoughts, random as they are.

I'll choose the princess crash.

It's clearly referencing the Diana crash, where, while she was (SPOILER!) trapped and dying in the wreckage, paparazzi were taking photographs and filming her.

I can imagine that when you first see this work (in person), your first instinct is to take a photograph of it. Now while this artwork is a harmless construction, the act of photographing this scene kinda puts you the viewer/photographer into the place of the paparazzi. Knowing what this piece is referencing, even though nobody is injured or dying, you are taking pleasure and enjoyment from something parodying the deaths of individuals that were killed while trying to flee chasing photographers. Now while you haven't chased this poor princess to her death, you have probably travelled for miles to see it.

While you might not have caused this crash, you are right there alongside the paparazzi, taking photographs.

Even if you're not there to photograph the image yourself, by looking at the images online, in magazines or newspapers, you have to think about how those images were obtained and their further distribution. Is the public's voracious appetite for sensationalistic imagery causing morality to be obscured or even worse, is the need to observe and intrude on other people's lives, particularly the misery or suffering of others, actually endangering those that we are observing.

Perhaps we can ask ourselves what we get out of such imagery? Does it educate? Can we learn from it? Can we use the knowledge obtained from it to do good? If not, then why is it there? What is it feeding?

I'd also like to add that 2 fake horses died in that fake crash. Most people will only care that the princess has died, not caring that the horses died too. Just like the majority of people won't even remember that other people died in the car along with princess Diana.

Something, something, something, Murdoch, something, cunt.

I guess this is the 'controversial' piece for the media and yet it's referencing an event from a lifetime ago for most. And the point? Have we learnt from this and become better? Glorying in the death of others? And the answer? No, we're worse.

SPOILERS!

The lasagne merry-go-round, is clearly and simply referencing the horsemeat/food chain scandal from recent years. While there aren't many other horse-themed fairground rides they could have used for this reference, either by design or fortuitous coincidence, the use of a merry-go-round is rather apt for the food scandal.

Even though there may have been regulatory and legal changes made in an attempt to prevent poor quality or meat of undisclosed origin from entering the food chain, just like the slaughterman on the merry-go-round, you can guarantee that another food scandal will come around again. Because it's far cheaper (and quicker) to buy a £1 ready-meal made from crap, than it is to spend £5+ on the basic ingredients to make one yourself.

People don't necessarily like eating cheap food, but they will eat it because it's cheap. Because of this, food manufacturers will always race each other to the bottom of the slurry barrel, chasing cheap ingredients to people that can't afford to eat better.

And on the subject of cheap food. If you think this doesn't really matter, you should think about the long-term damage that this cheap food and drink does. It increases your chances of developing diabetes. This may result in your requiring lifelong medication. You may also develop complications from your diabetes. Blindness, ulcerations, amputation of limbs. This will all require medical care, treatment, equipment.

Bad food can also increase your risk of developing cancer. We all know what that does and can imagine the long-term health complications that come with a cancer diagnosis.

Heart attacks. Strokes. Knee and hip replacements, due to weight gain caused by bad food. These conditions can also, and often do, require long-term medication, support and rehabilitation.

And these health concerns don't just affect the individual, they also affect relatives and the people around them. It's like ripples in a pond. Relatives may have to stop work, become carers, and in many cases, their own health will suffer as well.

There are more examples.

While the artist may have "just" been having a shot at the horsemeat lasagne story, it hints at a far greater threat to the public health (and purse). Not even going into social security payments for unemployment or disibilty, taxpayer's money will be spent on treating those same taxpayers for the illnesses they've acquired from eating cheap, sub-standard food. Food they've been coerced into consuming because they a) Aren't paid enough to be able to afford better, b) They aren't educated enough regarding their food supply, c) They're lied to about the ingredients in their food, or d) Supermarkets want our money. They can get this by cutting prices. They do this by sourcing the cheapest ingredients possible.

Sometimes you want to pay more for your food. Sometimes you can't.

As the horse meat scandal is such old news, I see it as a continuation on his BOTI slaughterhouse truck piece as well.
We all start loving animals for the way there make us feel inside.Spiritually/emotionally.
I see it (surprise, surprise) much more about animal lovers and the meat industry than the food industry in general.
I think cheap food and the meat industry are 2 slightly different issues but are of course a clear reflection of western health and selfishness.

P.S.COGNITIVE
DISSONANCE
P.P.S. I'm having vegan 'Chicken' Nuggets for tea.

Art imitates life?

The Little Mermaid, made to look like you're viewing her on an old, dodgy VHS tape. Clearly a comment on our distorted childhood memories of the "good times."

To mention a new one, Cameron toasting the privileged elite. With the pressure towards him building from the 'youth' to the right. The 'sweeping away' of the Canary Wharf skyline, is it wishful thinking? Is it trying to stress the power of the indivisual, the disenchanted? I like it. Didn't realise it was '3D' until I saw castlegalleryni's post on IG.

It's a bit of a strange piece to me. 
The horse meat scandal was over 2 years ago. If any other artist had just released it, people would be going.......hello.....relevance?
It works for me, I love it. Being on a horse merry-go-round, I see it about speciesism as well. Cow yes-horse no?
Banksy seems to have a pretty strong Anarchist background and UK anarchy have a strong vegan relationship so I do hope he has a strong vege/vegan meaning for it and not just to kill certain animals nicely.
Two videos: One about 'happy animals' and one about food marketing.