This exhibition presents images from the recent war in Northern Ireland and focuses in particular on the murals which played an important role in articulating the conflict. The mural images selected include representations of historical events and processes, the political standpoints of all of the main players in the conflict (including the Irish Republican Army, Ulster Loyalist paramilitary forces and the British Army), the concerns of local communities at the centre of violence, and modes of formal political and ideological address. The tone and content of the murals ranges from overtly political declarations to brutal depictions of the violence, from death-threats to the use of humour and irony. Taken together, the images reflect the attempt by various forces to use the walls, streets and public spaces of Northern Ireland to regulate, construct and possess space for political purposes.
For further information concerning this exhibition, please contact Professor Tony Crowley.