Description

‘I Am An Imbe-cile’

by David Shrigley

 

Banksy Dismaland “I Am An Imbe-cile” Helium Balloon
Rare 2015 Exhibition Collectible

 

This “I AM AN IMBE-CILE” balloon was obtained directly from Banksy’s 2015 art installation Dismaland, a temporary “bemusement park” in Weston-super-Mare that became one of the most talked-about art events of the decade.

Designed by British artist David Shrigley, the balloon is a satirical artwork in black vinyl, emblazoned with the phrase “I AM AN IMBE-CILE” in bold white lettering.

At the exhibition, these balloons were handed out by deliberately apathetic staff dressed in pink vests and Mickey Mouse ears, a tongue-in-cheek parody of theme park culture that reinforced the event’s atmosphere of disillusionment.

The balloon critiques consumerism by turning a traditional souvenir into a biting social commentary, labelling its owner an “imbecile” and forcing reflection on the rituals of consumer culture.

Together with installations by 58 artists, Dismaland tackled themes such as immigration, environmental destruction, and political apathy, all wrapped in the guise of a decaying, subversive theme park.

Unused examples like this, never inflated and kept folded in storage since the show, are now highly sought-after collector’s items, symbolising the unique collision of satire, social critique, and contemporary art that Banksy orchestrated in 2015.

 

 

Unlimited Edition

Materials: Vinyl Balloon

Condition: Brand new, never inflated

Carefully folded and stored since 2015

Size: 29 × 23 × 8 in | 73.7 × 58.4 × 20.3 cm (Approx)

 

Key Features:

• Original helium balloon from Banksy’s 2015 Dismaland exhibition (Weston-Super-Mare, England)

• Designed by acclaimed British artist David Shrigley

• Black vinyl balloon featuring bold white lettering: “I AM AN IMBE-CILE”

• Distributed by staff in pink hi-vis vests and Mickey Mouse ears as part of the satirical “bemusement park” experience

• A critique of consumer culture and the superficiality of mass-produced souvenirs

• Dismaland featured works from 58 international artists and ran for only five weeks, making items from the show highly collectible

• Rare opportunity to own an unused, carefully preserved piece of contemporary art history

• Lightweight and easy to frame, preserve, or display as part of a collection