2014 is the tenth anniversary of the fire in the North Street Arcade (2004-04-17). The image above, which is one and a half storeys tall, is part of a recent (June) work by Matt Sewell (Twitter | Web | Fb). His work is at the Donegall Street end of the arcade; Andy Council’s Belfast Phoenix is at the other end; see that entry for more about the fire.
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Copyright © 2014 Seosamh Mac Coılle
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Here are two wide shots of Matt Sewell’s large piece at the Donegall Street end of the North Street arcade.
Previous detail shots: A Bird In The Hand | Only When The Dusk Starts To Fall
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“Hill Street was originally called Pot-House Lane after pottery works located here in the late 17th century. By the 1790’s it was known as Foundry Lane, after Stewart Hadski’s iron foundry, the first of its kind in Belfast.” The original of the tin-glazed earthenware tankard shown can be seen in this lot from Christie’s (worth 10,000 pounds). The words “Queen Anne 1720” are inscribed on the tankard, a memorial to the queen who reigned from 1702-1714.
See previously: Old Foundary 1767
Here is some information about excavations in the area, and below is a brief video on the history of Hill St:
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As he mentions in the video below, JMK (Jonny McKerr – Fb) has long been painting classical sculpture. This Venus/Aphrodite (or perhaps Diana/ Artemis?) – sporting a modern attitude – takes its place in the gallery that is North Street, replacing (the first) Read More.
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Two shots of Keats & Chapman, booksellers, in North Street, and a second incarnation of ‘Read More’ by “Filth” (This Is Filth, Graham Watson). The original Read More was two units further down the street – that spot has been taken by JMK’s Venus (recorded separately). A picture of the shop during trading hours (taken 2013-10) is below, with a little girl perhaps getting her first look into Keats & Chapman.
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The hoarding at the building-site on Gresham Street has been painted to represent the shop that used to be on the opposite side of the street.
Bigg Life Arts September 7-8, 2013, emic (Twitter), as part of the Smithfield & Library Arts Festival
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In Belfast city centre in the early morning, it’s generally safe for the milkman to leave the milk on the pavement outside business premises, but perhaps not when there’s a well-camouflaged tiger on the prowl – red and white striped to match the pole of the Tivoli barber shop.
Work by friz in North Street; replaces KinMX’s blue-haired nude.
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Street art on Unity Walk (between North Street and Kent Street) by NOTA (“none of the above” – his web site appears to have disappeared and there’s nothing for TMN – The Most Nasty) showing a US flag in flames.
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This paste-up in multiple city centre locations shows a child squatting among (fake) flowers in a tub. Artist unknown.
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Here are close-ups of two of KVLR’s (Kevin Largey – Twitter) new faces in the first-floor windows in Garfield Street. The wide shot below shows all seven windows, and the Take The Red Pill piece featured a few days ago.
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Seosamh Mac Coille Collection 