Dismaland: Banksy accused of being a 'sellout' after Brad Pitt reportedly getting private tour

'Banksy is a privileged sell out who makes 'art' for upper/middle class white hipsters'

(Reuters)

Banksy’s latest work, his Dismaland ‘bemusement park’, has become somewhat laden with irony.

Firstly, visitors are expected to bring photographic ID so touts can’t sell on tickets. Considering this is the artist who once painted the words “ONE NATION UNDER CCTV” in huge letters on the side of a building, you’d be forgiven for thinking this is a little bit self defeating.

On Sunday a Palestinian artist was kicked out of the park for putting a bedsheet with the words “R.I.P Gaza: Boycott Israel” over the top of his own paintings, before lying in front of them “like a corpse”.

The artist, Shadi Alzaqzoup, was reportedly told the protest was too “ugly” for the park - this being a park that prides itself on being miserable…

Now it has emerged that movie star Brad Pitt was invited to privately go around the park. Unsurprisingly, people aren’t too happy about this.

Picture: PA

“Confirmation that they all suck the c**k of capitalism in the end,” wrote Jon Paul Hicksworth on Facebook, while Hilary Griffin Platts said: “Elitism at its finest.”

“I’m not going. Banksy is a sellout,” said Hussein Imam. Another person added: “I hope not! How hypocritical! Giving the celebrities special treatment would contradict the whole concept of Dismaland.”

One user on Twitter added he believes Banksy is a “sell out who makes ‘art’ for upper/middle class white hipsters.”

With Banksy’s hard stance against capitalism, greed, hypocrisy and authority, having Brad Pitt take a private tour of his work seems highly hypocritical.

His reasoning for allowing the Fury star to take the tour? ”Brad would bring a bit too much glamour to what’s meant to be a thoroughly depressing visit, so Banksy granted him special permission to visit before it opens,” a source told the Mirror.