Is Disneyland the Greatest Piece of American Art?
Is Disneyland Art? Lately, there has been a desire to see this space as such. For all of Disneyland's cultural prominence, and the 18.6 million visitors it attracts each year, the park has not traditionally been discussed in these terms. Neither are its sister parks in Florida, Tokyo, Hong Kong, Paris or Shanghai (all of which are also run according to Disneyland purists, who argue that Disneyland is the only park Walt Disney created, and therefore the only that really matters).
Last month, a new documentary series, Behind The Attraction, premiered on Disney+, which highlights for the first time the technological and artistic ingenuity of the theme park's most famous rides. This show recognizes the fight for recognition of the park as art. Disneyland is meticulously crafted, with each design choice reinforcing the story that surrounds it. Even the trash cans at Disneyland have different aesthetic identities depending on the location, to carefully match the climate and space where it is immersed. In fact, when Disneyland opened to the public Walt was praised in the news by many architects for Disneyland's radial design – the center in the middle that branches out.
Is Disneyland just an entertainment space or is it art?
Amusement parks become more and more popular and an obsession for adults as well as children. For decades, Disneyland has been synonymous with frivolous fun and entertainment, yet fans want Disneyland to be seen as more than that.
Online, a wave of podcasts, websites, YouTube channels and Instagram accounts have emerged to press for the reconsideration of the park as a cultural part. However, moving this needle is not easy. The park's history is certainly a mirror of western society. Kevin Perjurer, writer and director of Defunctland, hopes that Disneyland will begin to get the recognition it deserves as a place of artistic excellence rather than just an entertainment venue. Kevin Perjurer stated:
"Theme parks are the final medium. People said film was the final medium because it combines all other forms of art: sculpting, painting, music, sound, lighting into a single product. Theme parks are a step further than that because they take in every craft, and combine them into one experience. That's why I'm disappointed that more people don't consider Disneyland art. Because it's this incredible conglomeration of every form. Every medium we've been able to create, at once, in unison . It's beautiful"
