London street artist Irony (ig) drew on Edwin Landseer’s 1851 painting The Monarch Of The Glen (WP) for this piece of street art – fitting with its location as both near the Glen area of London-/Derry and formerly the old Scotch quarter (Derry Journal) – but updating it for contemporary audiences with an environmental message and the source of its less formal name: Stag With A Bag.
“Jamie Dornan lost his virginity here”. Perhaps while a student at Methody? Dornan is originally from Holywood (WP). The painter of the orange lily is unknown.
“Talents have been robbed by addiction, suicide, mental illness” – the shoes of the dead form part of an installation on Stewart Street, around the perimeter of the Markets. The RNU banner off to the right contains the numbers for Pieta House, PIPS, Samaritans, Teen Line, Lifeline, and Breathing Space.
“I am here – a son, daughter, father, mother, brother, sister, husband, wife, partner, lover, cousin, friend, grandfather, family. Why, why, why??? Are you okay? Our love[d] ones. Every day in some small way memories of you come our way. Through [sic] absent you are ever near, still missed, still loved, and ever dear.”
“The families[‘] pain continues!! They continue to struggle in silence: each loss has had a ripple effect throughout our community! Through the travel of time the pain remains the same!!!”
“It’s OK not to be OK – mental health illness is an invisible illness – breathing space – open up when you’re feeling down”
Below the shoes: “Dream big – smile – be thoughtful – respect – caring – love – be you – support – family”
The final image is from the nearby Friendly Street: Believe in yourself – Be kind – Something inside so strong – Positive mental well-being
Danni Simpson (ig) paints a lot of Norn Irish sayings in her work (see e.g. her Norn Irn adult colouring book) but decided to return to her native Australian for her contribution to HTN2021.