“Belfast thanks our NHS”. Northern Ireland entered a two-week “circuit breaker” lockdown at midnight last night in response to recent increases in coronavirus hospitalisations that have taxed the health system (see previously Mother Of The Sick). These marionettes in NHS uniforms are on their bike heading for home, or for work, via the Duke Of York. “Come in soberly, drink moderately, depart quietly, and call again.”
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Copyright © 2020 Seosamh Mac Coılle
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A budding artist in Exchange Place, inspired by Banksy and all of the street art in Belfast city centre, but disappointed with their efforts so far: “Aww, I wish I was Banksy”. Or perhaps a sarcastic comment on most street art.
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People are turning to Christmas earlier than ever this year as an escape from the ongoing coronavirus restrictions. Work by local artists is being sold at Vault Artists (web) ‘Vault Pop‘ (in the Portview Centre on the Newtownards Road) with work by many artists whose street-art is featured in these pages, including Leo Boyd, FGB, and Esther O’Kelly, and at Born & Bred (web) on Ann Street, including ‘Ulster Says Noel’ cards by James Ashe (web) – who did the ‘Ulster Says Yeoo’ tarp shown above, next to the Ulster Social Club (now just a regular bar) – and mini H&W cranes as a tree ornament (see David & Goliath).
(Extramural Activity is not associated with either shop or any of the artists named.)
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The grey “machine” is encased in fluorescent colours in Rob Hilken’s (ig | web | Visual Arts Ireland) piece in Kent Street for HTN 2020.
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Writing by DENEB in McKibben’s Court with the snake as an animal familiar (see Belfast Beyond for another DENEB snake).
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For HTN 2020 (from Seedhead Arts and Hennessy), Dublin crew Subset (tw) were given a large wall in the Kent Street car park and produced a massive collage.
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Emic (web) usually paints open hands, but has painted an arm and fist comprising many parts for his anti-racism message in Union Street, Belfast.
“Artwork came about because Van Morrison decided to sing about ‘muh freedoms’ in the middle of a global pandemic. Thought there was room for something sensible to be said. Artwork features a raised fist made up of a kind of stitching together of different arms of people from different ethnicities and ages. It’s a sign of resistance against the alarming racism I am seeing both online and on the ground recently. (Uighurs in China, Immigrants in Mediterainean, the state of USA currently, nationalism in the UK). The different arms combined is kind of Frankenstein-esque so I based the aesthetic of the image on Tyler the Creator’s album cover Igor (attached). Also thought Frankenstein’s monster as a metaphor fitted neatly ie Frankenstein creates the monster that goes on to destroy its maker and wreak havoc.”
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Work by KVLR (Fb) and PENZ for HTN 2020 in Kent Street, Belfast. There are images of KVLR and a blurred-out PENZ at work in the HTN 2020 video.
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Seosamh Mac Coille Collection 