Belfast city centre

From Dawn ‘Til Dusk

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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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Copyright © 2023 Paddy Duffy
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Bound In Good Style

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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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Copyright © 2023 Paddy Duffy
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Newen

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From the Twitter feed of Colombian street artist Visual AGP (Anderson García Pérez | Flickr), “Newen” means “strength” or “energy” … birds represent the freedom and colors of the Wiphala [the flag of indigenous peoples of the Andes].”

“Graficalia” (in the top right) refers to a street art festival aimed at minimising youth violence in AGP’s home town of Cali, Colombia.

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Copyright © 2023 Paddy Duffy
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