Exit through the beach park

So I was intrigued when some resonant words appeared on a wall a few months ago, by the beach where I walk my dogs. And even more so when I saw a different phrase in another part of Dubai this weekend, on a temporary fence, by a remote bit of beach.

Wrong world go back – from Arcadia Blank

But this is just the tip of the ice-burg it seems. A friend on Twitter revealed this is Arcadia Blank, Dubai’s answer to Banksy.

@mycustardpie It's done by the graffiti artist named Arcadia Blank 🙂 A good read about this work on The National: thenational.ae/arts-culture/a…

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Jasmine (@peartreediaries) November 25, 2012

Dubai is a law-abiding place and laws are enforced rigorously. I daren’t take my dogs on the beach for instance as I could be fined or the dogs impounded immediately. A dim view is also taken about graffiti and there isn’t much around. Which is what makes Arcadia Blank‘s work even more interesting.

Random graffiti does offend me – nowhere more than in places of beauty like Florence where the whole inside of the tower and the actual bell itself in the Duomo is covered with thousands of scrawled names by tourists. But reading about the works and watching the film Exit Through the Gift Shop has made me appreciate these artists who comment on our societies in creative, thought-provoking and, at times, daring ways.

I’m now waiting for my next sighting….

Related articles

• One artist is altering the Dubai street scene (The National)
• The Politically-fueled Street Art of Banksy (hiddencanvas.wordpress.com)