Work by FGB (ig), NRMN (ig), Friz (ig), and Laura Nelson/Szu Szu Signs (ig) join those by Rob Hilken, emic, and Kerrie Hanna (see Spells Joy) along the side of the Shankill Mission, new home of Vault Artist Studios (ig).
Click to enlarge
Copyright © 2023 Paddy Duffy
T03665 T03666 T03667 T03761 [T03762] [T03668] T03669 Arts Council NI
“When it comes to punk, New York has the haircuts, London has the trousers, but Belfast has the reason.” – Terri Hooley in 2012’s Good Vibrations (IMDb).
The final incarnation of Hooley’s Good Vibrations record shop (Fb) closed in North Street in 2015 (BelTel). It began in October 1976 at 102 Great Victoria Street (Spit Records | Louder Than War | Spit Records) — the shop and Hooley are included, along with footage of the Undertones, Outcasts, Stiff Little Fingers, and many others — in the 1979 documentary Shellshock Rock (UK viewers can watch at BFI | Spit Records has a great write-up of events surrounding the flm’s launch).
The new murals are on and adjacent to the shop’s second location (from roughly 1984-1993), on the other side of the road, at 121 Great Victoria Street, which itself has had “Good Vibrations” signage reinstated by Zippy (ig).
In order, from left to right/top to bottom in this post: in Stroud Street we have “Big-time punk” Terri Hooley by Peaball (RAZER (ig) and NOYS (ig)); on 127 Great Victoria Street we have tartan by Rob Hilken (ig), on 125, “Alternative Ulster” by Alana McDowell (ig) — for the ‘Alternative Ulster’ fanzine, see Fountain Street Spirits; on 123, designs by NotPop (ig); on 121, “Belfast Has The Reason” and “Good Vibrations” signage by Zippy (ig). With support from Linen Quarter BID (web), Belfast City Council (BCC press release) and Daisy Chain (web).
Update 2024-10: The Terri Hooley piece has been paint-bombed
Click image to enlarge
Copyright © 2023 Paddy Duffy
T03585 T03586 [T03587] T03611
T03561 [T03562]
T03706c [T03707]
T03590 [T03593]
T03589 [T03588]
Copyright © 2024 Paddy Duffy
T05714 T05713
This squirrel is the third piece of wildlife to grace a Cavehill Road wall in recent weeks, following the swan in Marsden Gardens (Fowl Play) and fox at Charnwood Avenue (Outfoxed). This piece is in Sunningdale Park (also known to Line Of Duty fans as Platemere St) and was painted by Mr Fenz (ig) and Danni Simpson (ig). A fourth piece is planned for the top of the road, at the North Circular.
Click image to enlarge
Copyright © 2022 Paddy Duffy
T03584 [T03583] T03581 T03582 T03580 [T03578] [T03579]
Danni Simpson (ig) and Mr Fenz (ig) have completed their second mural in as many weeks on the Cavehill Road, adding a fox to the side of what is now Ben Madigan’s (formerly the Cavehill Inn) on Charnwood Avenue.
Previously: the Waterworks swan seen in Fowl Play.
Click image to enlarge
Copyright © 2023 Paddy Duffy
[T03575] T03577 [T03576]
T03573 [T03574]
T03554 [T03555] [T03556]
The Executive Office’s Communities In Transition programme aims to tackle “residual paramilitary activity and associated criminality” in eight areas of Northern Ireland, including the Northland/Sunnylands area of Carrickfergus, which until now has not had any street art. (It does have some community art, also sponsored by Communities In Transition.) They have sponsored this piece of street art by Aches (ig) — reproducing in overlapping triplicate a photograph of a local girl (Fb) taken by Derry photographer Megan Doherty (web) — in Drumhoy Drive, next to the ‘residual paramilitarism’ shown below: a Red Hand Commando board.
Click image to enlarge
Copyright © 2023 Paddy Duffy
T03517 T03516
Dahlias by emic (ig) replacing a NI Centenary board in Thomas Street, Carrickfergus, replacing a pair of NI Centenary boards.
Click image to enlarge
Copyright © 2023 Paddy Duffy
T03485 [T03486]
The words here are attributed to director Baz Luhrmann, who put the words (spoken by Lee Perry) against music by Rozalla, “Everybody’s Free (To Feel Good)”; the track (youtube) went to number one in the charts in the UK and Ireland in 1999. They are in fact part of a hypothetical commencement address entitled “Wear Sunscreen” written by journalist Mary Schmich. (WP)
India Street, south Belfast, replacing a speech from Chaplin’s The Great Dictator.
Don’t worry about the future,/or worry, but know that worrying/is as effective as trying to solve an/ algebra equation by chewing bubble gum./The real troubles in your life are apt to/be things that never crossed your worried/mind. The kind that blindsides you at/4 p.m. on some idle Tuesday. Do one thing/ every day that scares you./Saying, don’t be reckless with other people’s hearts/[Don’t put up with people who are reckless with yours] … Floss
Don’t waste your time on jealousy./Sometimes you’re ahead,/sometimes you’re behind. The/race is long and in the end,/it’s only with yourself/Remember compliments you/receive, forget the insults. If you/succeed in doing this, tell me how./Keep your old love letters, throw/away your old bank statements … Stretch
Click image to enlarge
Copyright © 2023 Paddy Duffy
T03461 T03462 T03463
The Vault artists have moved out of the old Belfast Met building in east Belfast (see Do You Own A Giant Building? | The Vault Is Empty | Locked Vault) and set up shop in Marlborough House in the city centre and the Shankill Mission in west Belfast. The group have a new web site: vaultartiststudios.com. The inaugural event at “Marly” took place this weekend, called It’s All Your Vault. There will also be a launch event at the Shankill Mission at some point. In the meantime, here are three from the side of the Shankill Mission, from (bottom) emic (ig), (below) Rob Hilken (ig), and (above) Kerrie Hannah (ig) who takes her inspiration from stained glass windows in Townsend Presbyterian by Wilhelmina Geddes (see On The Other Side).
Click to enlarge
Copyright © 2023 Paddy Duffy
T03447 [T03448] [T03449] [T03450] T03451 T03452
Here is a complete set of the street art in Meetinghouse Lane, Newtownards, mostly produced during an October 2021 jam, though the Glen Molloy (ig) piece above pre-dates that. The other pieces are by Kerri Hanna (ig), Mr Fenz (ig), Emic (ig), Matthew Knight (ig), Carla Hodgson (ig), Danni Simpson (ig), ?kairos?, Irony (ig), RAZER (Fb) & NOYS (ig), NRMN (Gerry Norman ig), Friz (ig), Annatomix (ig) (the squirrel’s name is Derek), Rob Hilken (ig), FGB (ig), Zippy (ig), Alana McDowell (ig).
Click image to enlarge
Copyright © 2023 Paddy Duffy
T03424 T03425 T03426 T03427 T03428 [T03429] T03430 T03431 T03432 [T03433] T03434 T03435 T03436 T03437 T03438 [T03439] T03440 T03441 T03442 [T03443]T03444
In Japanese mythology, cranes are symbols of longevity because they are reputed to live for a thousand years (KZN). These cranes, however, were painted on September 24th by HM Constance (ig) and Zippy (ig) at the junction of Donegall Pass and Botanic Ave for the Open Botanic festival, and they were still in place on October 1st when the first two photos shown here were taken, but by October 4th the front fencing (on the Botanic Avenue side) had been painted over, taking out the crane on the right.
According to this BelTel article, the fence below the billboard is property of the ad company (JC Decaux) and not the landlord (who had given permission for the art), and so Decaux painted it over, as a neutral surround is part of the ad presentation. As can be seen from the fourth image, below, the painting-over included some of the side fencing, though this was done fairly carefully – it removed the head and wing of the wrap-around crane without touching the other crane.
Artist HMC expressed her disappointment, though noted that “street art is never permanent, it’s meant to be painted over by future artists or graff writers” (ig). Adam Turkington, director of Seedhead Arts, likewise decried the obliteration to the Telegraph, saying, “Who controls the aesthetic of our city? … Are we not allowed to have some beautiful art that’s not trying to sell us things?”
The graffiti was added on the 5th or 6th and was still visible yesterday (8th): “Street art is 4 the people – support your local artists!” We would expect Decaux to paint out the graffiti, in keeping with their policy. And perhaps HMC will restore the red sun and artist’s signature to the side panel. If either happens, this page will be updated.
See previously: the crane as a symbol of peace on the Cupar Way “peace” line: Tsuru.
Click image to enlarge
Copyright © 2023 Paddy Duffy
T03396 T03395 T03394 T03458 T03457
Paddy Duffy Collection 