BELFAST - STREET ART
Wandering through the city, we encountered a plenty of graffiti and street arts in the city. The wall has become the canvas, and murals the artists' tools for expression. More than 100 years of history, politics, and emotions are expressed in these works, which often represent genuine artistic value. The paintings have become a tourist attraction in Belfast. There are even themed tours to visit them, and there is an app, with a map if we decide to discover these works without a guide.
In this post, I have collected those we met during our walks.
Chaplin's character - complemented by a witty quote:
Animals on the walls:
The Duel of Belfast - Dance in Candlelight: The work created in 2012. Two men figting over the body of a dead animal. The duel refers to the troubled past of Northern Ireland, which still has an impact on the present, while the dead animal is a symbol of the decaying world. The fight, the struggle for the worthless prize occupies them so much that they don't even notice, that the world is being lost in the meantime. According to another interpretation, the image represents colonial West. The man sitting at the table does not intervene, he just watches the duel between the two men.
Nomad Clan - "Still Waters": The 2017 painting symbolises the city's linen and rope industry. The confrontation between the woman and the wolf is a historical reference to the past, the tensions during and after The Troubles, and the present. The wolf also appears on the Belfast shield and is an important animal in Irish culture. We do not see a classic female figure; the androgynous character is a distinctive representation of women by Nomad Clan (a British street art duo). The "unfeminine" woman figure was a protest against the ban on gay marriage (allowed since 2020) and a stand for women's rights. The meeting of the wolf and the woman is a synthesis of past and present: they are still distrustful of each other, but they know they must step into the future together.
Dank (Dan Kitchener) made the following mural, which portrays a rainy cobblestone street. Some believes, that the atmosphere of the film Blade Runner comes to life on the building's wall. It reminded me of America and a Sunny Dinner, but the greatest aspect of art is that everyone can see and interpret the pieces through their own lens.
Son of Protagoras: The Greek philosopher Protagoras was a Greek philosopher and said: "Man is the measure of all things". The image shows the red-haired, crouching boy - the model is the son of the director of a Belfast art business - holding a dead dove shot through with arrows. Every element of the image is symbolic: the dove is a symbol of peace, which has been mortally wounded by the two arrows. The Latin cross on the arrows is the symbol of the Catholics, while the Maltese cross is the symbol of the Protestants. The boy is not looking at the pigeon loft, but angrily at the cathedral on the opposite side. The creator - MTO - visited Belfast in 2014 and was surprised that the city was still divided. It is now 2023, and some things have not changed since then.
The mural titled "The Chef" (or "The Lobster Pot") was created in 2016 by SMUG, one of the most highly regarded Australian graffiti artists. In the picture, the man is holding a lobster in his hand. The style is detailed. The lobster is missing from my picture because all sorts of stalls were set up in front of the lower part of the mural.
Not every piece of art reveals the message its creator intended.
2022 mural by Los Astestos titled "Let me unsee." The inspiration came from our fast-paced, impulsive, information-filled everyday lives. The creator felt overstimulated - which they love - but sometimes they need a little break and to "turn off their eyes" for a while. (The face is surrounded and covered by a multitude of eyeballs.)
The Woman and the Parrot - Forzan - is a work by a Spanish artist who came to the city as part of an exchange program. The painting presents the relationship between humans and nature. Its interesting aspect is its colour palette, which is a refreshing splash of colour in the foggy streets of Belfast.
Belfast Spring represents a new beginning, a period of renewal. Created in 2023, it decorates the facade of an old mill. The young woman is surrounded by flax flowers, which symbolise renewal.
The Acrobat pays tribute to the director of the Belfast School of Circus Arts, and his impact on the community. He passed away in 2017, Alice Pasquini painted it in 2018.
"True to our words" decorates the wall of The Irish News newspaper building. The words have escaped from Pandora's box, and their effect is visible on the three women's different facial expressions. The painting draws attention to the importance of words and language, and it is no coincidence that it is located on the building of the newspaper. The mural is the work of Los Angeles artist Christina Angelina.
On May 31, 1911, the Titanic was launched. The mural is located next to Titanic Belfast and portrays the dock workers.
And a few more favorites:
My Belfast posts clearly show that anyone visiting the city, won't be bored. Culture, nature, hiking, GOT (Game of Thrones), murals. And the pubs!, to complete the list.
A new adventure awaits, don't hesitate, head to Belfast!
October, 2023
