Dismaland was a temporary art exhibition conceived, funded, and curated by Banksy, set up in the coastal town of Weston-super-Mare, England. Running from August 21 to September 27, 2015, the event was dubbed a “bemusement park”—a bleak, satirical reimagining of classic theme parks like Disneyland. Banksy described it as a “family theme park unsuitable for children.” Located within the derelict Tropicana lido, the show fused dystopian visuals with biting social critique, addressing topics such as consumerism, celebrity obsession, immigration, and policing. Over its 36-day lifespan, Dismaland attracted 150,000 visitors.

Among the 58 artists invited to participate was Paco Pomet, who contributed seven paintings to the gallery space within the exhibition.

In keeping with the spirit of Dismaland, the exhibition’s catalogue was sold from a scorched, derelict ice cream van—a relic from Banksy's 2009 show Banksy vs Bristol Museum.

The Son (2015), one of Pomet’s works featured in the exhibition, received a prominent full-page placement next to the Manifesto in the catalogue. Earlier in the publication, an artist profile introduced Pomet’s work, featuring the following memorable text:

“...Paco’s art is laced with black humour and sublime craftsmanship. His work often resembles nostalgic, sepia style photographs from bygone eras until you look a bit closer and realise that all the people have hamster faces”.

Today, the Dismaland catalogue remains a sought-after piece for Paco Pomet collectors, marking a pivotal and widely celebrated moment in his career.

2013

CD

14.2 × 12.5 cm

66 pages

Text in English

Featuring the works Internacional (charcoal on paper, 2008) and The Son (oil in canvas, 2015).