Here is some art on the shutters of the Kids’ Store in Castle Street, Belfast. Artist FGB has an instagram video of the piece being produced.
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Belfast city centre
From Dawn ‘Til Dusk
Street art by Rob Hilken (web | ig) in High Street and Church Lane, Belfast.
“My mural on the corner of Church Lane and High Street is inspired by the businesses in the immediate area. The circle forms represent sun and moon, the sun rising and setting at the beginning and end of the day and the moon illuminating the night sky. The colour palette evokes sunrise and sunset, and the glamour of the local nightlife. The local businesses include cafes serving food from morning until night, bars where people socialise until the early hours, as well as barbers, hairdressers, nail bars, piercing studios and tattooists for the image-conscious crowds that inhabit the area. The mural aims to add to the identity of the area as somewhere where people go to socialise as well as enhance their own image.”
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The Grid
Bound In Good Style
The first printing press in Belfast belonged to James Blow and his brother-in-law Patrick Neil in 1694 (DIB | Dublin Penny Journal gives 1696 | Mary Lowry Story Of Belfast gives 1690); a run of 8,000 Bibles is said to have been printed in 1751, one of which is part of the Linen Hall Library’s collection on Early Ulster Printing (RASCAL).
In 1895, Carswell & Sons opened a print-works and book-binders in a warehouse running with frontage in Queen Street and a rear in College Court (the building is now a bingo hall – see Kelly’s Eyes) which is currently being renovated as an office block (Bel Tel) – some of the scaffolding in College Cour can be seen in the later images in We Built This, the street art festival for International Women’s Day, 2023.
To complement those festival pieces, the mouth of College Court has been given a make-over, with work by Peachzz (ig) (above) and lettering by Woskerski (ig) that both draw on the street’s association with printing. If you know who did the “bookbinding” piece, please get in touch.
Previously on either side of College Court there were two pieces by Friz: Fox and Hare.
The bonus image, of a man leaning against the newsagent’s wall, is on the corner with Castle Street.
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We Built This
Here is a gallery of completed pieces produced for International Women’s Day 2023 in College Court. The new street art is part of a larger revitalisation project (Belfast City Council).
The works shown are (from Castle Street to College Street) by Claire Prouvost, Holly Pereira, Katriona, Kerri Hanna, Danni Simpson, Alana McDowell, ESTR; Laura Nelson, Novice Jess, Friz, (guest artist Hicks who was in town to repair and extend his piece in College Street Mews (see Cool) – it was damaged by a dumpster fire) and, on the other side of the street, HM Constance.
For in-progress shots, see Women’s Work.
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A Planet Of Light And Heat
The Northern Star newspaper began publication in 1792 in Wilson’s Court, Belfast, under the editorship of Samuel Neilson, to cover local news and express the views of the United Irishmen. It became so popular that it survived until 1797, despite the Irishmen being outlawed in 1793 with the declaration of war between Britain and France and Neilson being arrested in 1796. Walter Cox, editor of The Irish Magazine And Monthly Asylum For Neglected Biography) wrote a ‘Sketch Of The Life Of Samuel Neilson’ for the September, 1811, edition (p. 396 ff) and wrote that “The Northern Star, under his managment, was indeed a planet of light and heat; its influences were commensurate with its circulation and its circulation was only restricted by the ocean. It warmed the cold; it animated the feeble; it cheered the afflicted; it stimulated the intrepid and instructed all. Pernicious dogmas, false reasonings, slavish superstitions and gothic prejudices, which broke the people into different sects and marshalled them against each other, disappeared before it.” (O’Brien 1998 | History Ireland)
The mural – in Wilson’s Court, Belfast – is by Rob Hilken and called “Light And Heat”.
See previously: Olaudah Equiano | Belle Martin and the Visual History page on the Belfast Entries Project
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Under The Cherry Blossoms
Castle Arcade is so-called because it is the site of both the original castle of Belfast, built by the Normans in the late 12th century and then rebuilt by Arthur Chichester in 1611. Chichester’s castle had “spacious gardens which extended from the river along to Cromac Woods and near Stranmillis” with “orchards, bowling greens and cherry gardens … fish ponds,” for “hunting, hawking, and other sports”. It was destroyed by fire in 1708 after which the area became commercialised as a market (ArchiSeek | Mary Lowry | BBC | Belfast Entries).
By Friz (ig) and Gerry Norman (ig).
See previously: You’ve Got The Key Of The Street.
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Reddener
This “Scundered Crab” in Joy Street comes to us courtesy of MWAK/Pigment Space (ig).
Previously by MWAK: The Children Of Gear | Our Revenge | Boys’ Model | Sweets For My Sweet
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Stigma Breakers & Law Makers
This is Wee Nuls’s (web | ig) street art celebrating the success of the ‘menstruation matters’ (ig) campaign for free period products and the passage of the Period Products Bill.
The piece is perhaps a “gremlin” self-portrait in the style of Mr Blonde/Vic Vega. It was painted for HTN22 in the spot below Transport House where her original version of Free Period Items was painted and blacked out. (It was then repainted at Artcetra.) To the left is Claire Prouvost’s tribute to women workers of the world and to left is a Unity (union) hoarding: Workers Of The World Unite.
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Belfast Romances
This Leo Boyd (web) piece in Great Victoria Street brings together many of the ideas seen in his posters over the years, including When Urban Love Goes Wrong, Belfast Kitty Hall, DeLorean cars, Godzilla – “The monster created by atoms gone wild! Escaped from Belfast zoo”, and the wind-up police land-rover.
“Approved by DC Tours“
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