Two more by Nathan Bowen (ig | web store), in Donegall Street, Belfast – “Have a good day” and “Be inspired”.
See previously: Builders At Work | Covid-Era Canvasses
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After amassing roughly 200,000 troops along the border, Russia’s invasion of Ukraine began on February 24th; yesterday thus ended the tenth day of fighting. Perhaps 10,000 soldiers (both Ukrainian and Russian) and 2,000 civilians have died, and roughly 1.4 million people have fled the country. “Слава Україні!” [Slava Ukraïni!] is the salute of the Ukrainian armed forces but has become a rallying cry in the mouths of people and nations around the globe in support of Ukraine, amongst which are artist FGB (ig) and the Sunflower bar in Kent Street, Belfast.
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The ‘bend in the road’ (Crumlin Road, just before Ligoniel) is the site of the Somme Memorial Cross. It’s not clear who erected or maintains it and indeed the Union flag flying behind it has been reduced to a stump.
A little further up the road, a new ‘cultural hub’ has been proposed for the site of the old Ligoniel Orange hall (Belfast Live) which was destroyed in a fire in 2000 (BBC).
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Combo piece by Pens (ig) x KVLR (ig) x Wee Nuls (Nuala Convery | ig | web) replacing the Gang Of Freaks by KVLR x Ten Hundred x Wee Nuls in Union Street, with an echo back to KVLR’s 2015 piece in this spot: Pizza Pipe. Official title: Patchwork Creeps. KVLR and Wee Nuls had earlier done the pieces in the windows of the Sunflower (see final image), as a demo for an audience at the August launch of the programme for HTN21 (Belfast Live).
The menagerie in the background is by Malarky.
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Abstract work by Without Matter (styled here as “W|OUT”) whose Instagram has disappeared.
Previously: Apart
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Street art by Franc Got Buffed (ig) in Kent Street. His title, not ours – inspired by the Channel 4 reality ‘fixer upper’ show Escape To The Chateau (itself presumably inspired by the phrase “escape to the country”?)
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Work by NOTA [None Of The Above] of TMN [The Most Nasty] krew in Union Street, Belfast, replacing Rob Hilken’s fried eggs.
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“Geraldine Connon [web] – Geraldine is a well renowned fashion designer based in Larne. She has created this piece inspired by the Games of Thrones and Larne’s Ulster Scots Heritage. Geraldine used Irish linen in the tasel [sic], mesh within the helmet, and created the neck cuff from black feathers representing a crow. Crows are iconic in the TV series. The yellow and black tartan skirt brings in the Ulster Scots element to the piece. The image was photographed by fashion photographer Mitchell Cahoon [ig].”
The official name of the outfit is “Valentine”. This is another of the Game Of Thrones-inspired pieces in Larne town centre – Lower Quay St in this case – sponsored by the Mid & East Antrim Council, with Larne Renovation Generation (Fb) and the Traders Forum (BelTel | News Desk | Fb video). See previously: Larne – The Original Tourist Resort | The Battle Of Ulfreksfjord | Dire Wolf.
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The ‘bare and tortured land’ is Messines (now Mesen) in West Flanders, Belgium, where approximately 25,000 soldiers on both sides were killed or injured at the start of June, 1917, as Allied forces retook the ridge between Messines and Wytschaete.
The central figure is the 1922 bronze statue in Winchester, England, by John Tweed, depicting a soldier from the Kings Royal Rifle Corps, which does not appear to have fought at Messines, though both the 36th (Ulster) and 16th (Irish) divisions were there (WP) and this is the reason for a number of Messines murals that have been painted in recent years: see Messines 1917 and Brothers In Arms in Newtownards | Comrades In Arms in Londonderry. During the battle, Sopwith Pups (biplanes – the triplane was used by naval squadrons (Military History)) were ordered to fly low and strafe enemy targets (Key Aero | FirstWorldWar | Vintage Aviator).
The poetry – “When you and I are buried/With grasses overhead/The memory of our fights will stand/Above this bare and tortured land/We knew ere we were dead.” – appears to be original.
There is a “No ball games allowed” notice on the left-hand side.
By Dee Craig in Wellington Green, Larne
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Seosamh Mac Coille Collection 