Members of Cuba Solidarity Forum Ireland (tw) took to Sliabh Dubh on Friday (along with Gael Force Art) to unfurl what they claim is the largest ever Cuban flag below the hashtag “Unblock Cuba”, which is the name of their current campaign. The event was chosen to coincide with US president Joe Biden’s 8-day trip to the UK and Europe, pressuring him to abstain in the UN motion to end the blockade which will be debated on June 23rd (CodePink).
Homeowners from counties Donegal and Mayo march on government buildings in Dublin tomorrow to campaign for “100% redress” in the repair of their homes that were made with building blocks of high mica content and which are now falling apart. Free Derry Corner (Visual History) has been altered in support of the cause. For more see Derry Journal | BBC | Donegal Daily.
London street artist Dan Kitchener (web | tw | ig) is back on the Shankill (after recently completing Night Taxi) painting in an even bolder location: where Night Taxi was up around the bend in the Woodvale, the new piece – “Hope” – is at the bottom of the Shankill on Northumberland Street and moreover sits atop Conor’s Corner (2015 | 2021).
Both murals feature Tokyo landscapes (as is the case with Dan’s work) but a geisha is featured here rather than a familiar black taxi. “The wall is dedicated to Sandra- サンドラ. Sandra McCurry worked and owned Mikala’s Kitchen on The Shankill Road, Sandra worked tirelessly for the local community and sadly passed away” (Belfast Walking Tours Fb).
These two murals represent the strongest incursion of street art beyond the city centre and into “sectarian” areas. Reaction has been correspondingly mixed: while no one doubts the craftsmanship and aesthetic value, one twitter user (echoed by various others) asks “What is it’s [sic] relevance to the Shankill? Or is it just a lovely mural?” Dan has travelled in Japan and takes actress Ayumi LaNoire “the pole dancing geisha” (IMDb | vimeo | Afloat on vimeo) as muse (Inspiring City) but taken straightforwardly as a representation of a classical geisha this could appear an act of fetishising cultural appropriation. See also: DanK’s geisha in Belfast city centre, The Dream. See also: Visual History 11 on the rise of street art.
An appeal for positive graffiti (or non-political murals??) languishing in a builder’s yard on Lanark way, similar to the mural in Castlemara – see Spray-On Culture (and a different tactic from the ‘Spray Is Not The Way’ board in Portadown a decade ago).
In April, UK Defence minister Johnny Mercer resigned/was sacked due to his protestations over the Overseas Operations bill (which passed on April 29th but does not apply to service in NI (BBC)) and the prosecution of two soldiers for a 1972 killing of Joe McCann – they were acquitted (BelTel). Cases against British Army soldier will continue to be investigated, however, unless there is legislation introduced by the British government to deal with “legacy” issues in Northern Ireland. This VASU tarp is next to the Boundary Way waste ground, site of the lower Shankill bonfire. “Support the men who supported & protected us against Sinn Fein IRA – Soldier A-Z.”
“A little boy of fifteen years/was chosen thus to die./As a British soldier aimed his gun/And never questioned why!/The shots rang out, the echo[e]s still/Young Danny fell, shoot to kill./They shoot to kill & kill & kill/Oh please God stop them/But no one will.” Danny Barrett was shot and killed on July 9th, 1981 – a day after Joe McDonnell’s death and on evening of the same day as the shooting of Norah McCabe – by a single shot from a British army observation post on top of Ewart’s Mill. The mural in his memory is in Havana Way, close to his Havana Court home, where he had been sitting on a garden wall talking to a friend. For a full account, see Free Ireland or watch video of his sisters in front of the new mural. For the Lawrence/Hammil board in Brompton Road, see Same Story, Same Bigotry.
“NHS – they save lives not bans. Supporting all front line workers.” This tarp outside the Lower Falls social club goes back to last (2020) summer and discontent over Tory efforts to save businesses and banks rather than give nurses a raise beyond what was already in the pipeline (e.g. CNN | Sky News).
The “Do not use” sign – from last year – is Saoaradh (web) reserving a wall in Braemar St (on the Falls Road) that has never (to our knowledge) been used by anyone else. As the image above shows, the space is now being used – in part – by a hunger strike 40th anniversary board.
During WWII, Tom Moore worked with motorcycles and tanks (rather than aircraft) in India and Burma (Myanmar) and achieved the rank of captain. He became famous during the pandemic for raising about 33 million pounds for NHS Charities during the pandemic. He died in February of this year, aged 100 (WP). He is honoured by this new mural in Tullyally, Londonderry.
“A long time ago we had empires run by emperors, then we had kingdoms run by kings, and now we have countries …” Run by counts? Commentary on current leadership (in various places?) in Dobbin Street Lane, Armagh.
Extramural Activity 