2019 IN PICTURES – JUNE

With the football season over, June 2019 was unsurprisingly a bit quiet, but not totally quiet.

The first day of the month saw me head to Holywood to see Feeder in concert.

Making the most of football free Saturdays, I headed Foyleside for a day trip to Stroke City. It wasn’t specifically a trip for Street Art, but it would have been rude not to get some photos while I was there.

The day before that, I headed to East Belfast to get photos of some Street Art at Vault Studios. It took a while to get it finished, due to vehicles being parked in front of pieces.

My last photo adventure of the month was to get Street Art photos in Rosemary Street, as well as some Belfast Canvas photos.

Feeder live at Holywood Rugby Club

Feeder live at Holywood Rugby Club Photo Album

Stroke City Street Art

Stroke City Street Art Photo Album

East Belfast Street Art

East Belfast Street Art Photo Album

Rosemary Street Art And Belfast Canvas

Rosemary Street Art Photo Album

Belfast Canvas Photo Album

2019 IN PICTURES – MAY

May 2019 began with a busy Bank Holiday Weekend, starting off by going to see Echo and the Bunnymen at Custom House Square, Ulster v Connacht at Ravenhill, and then checking out Street Art as part of Hit The North.

The following weekend, I headed to Manchester to see United take on Cardiff City. The less said about that match the better.

On the plus side, I did manage to get some Street Art photos from the city.

That was it. The first two weekends of the month were busy, the second two not so much.

Echo and the Bunnymen live at Custom House Square

Echo and the Bunnymen live at Custom House Square Photo Album

Ulster v Connacht

Ulster v Connacht Photo Album

Hit The North

Hit The North Photo Album – Sunday 5th May 2019

Hit The North Photo Album – Monday 7th May 2019

Hit The North Photo Album – Aftermath

Manchester Street Art

Manchester Street Art Photo Album

Manchester United v Cardiff City

Manchester United v Cardiff City Photo Album

Salford Quays Street Art

Salford Quays Street Art Photo Album

2019 IN PICTURES – APRIL

April 2019 began for me with a trip to Ballymena to see Linfield beat Ballymena United 1-0 to all but secure the Irish League title.

The next day, I made the most of a football free Saturday by heading to East Belfast to get some photos of some newly painted Street Art.

The following Saturday, I was back on the football trail, seeing Linfield secure the point they needed, against Crusaders, to become Champions.

The week after, came the trophy presentation, following a forgettable 4-0 defeat against Glenavon.

My last Linfield game of the season was a lot better, a 5-1 win over Cliftonville on Easter Tuesday.

April ended with a trip to Lisburn to Island Arts Centre for an art event where murals were painted live.

Ballymena United v Linfield

East Belfast Street Art

East Belfast Street Art Photo Album

Linfield v Crusaders

Linfield Title Celebrations

Linfield v Glenavon

Linfield Title Presentations

Linfield v Cliftonville

Lisburn Street Art

Lisburn Street Art Photo Album

2019 IN PICTURES – JANUARY

2019 began for me with a trip to the seaside on the very first day of the year, to Clandeboye Park to see Linfield take on Ards as they aimed for three points in the title race.

Eleven days later, was my first trip of the year to Windsor Park to see Linfield beat Warrenpoint Town.

That was then followed a week later by a trip to Seaview to see Linfield beat Crusaders.

A month that was mostly spent watching football saw me return to Windsor Park to see Linfield beat Glentoran in a televised game.

The next day, I headed to Manchester. Guess what? It was for a football match, as Manchester United took on Burnley.

While I was there, I got photos of Street Art in Manchester and Salford Quays, while I also snuck in a day trip to Sheffield, where I got more Street Art photos.

While I was in Manchester, it snowed, so I got some photos of that, including snow outside Old Trafford.

Ards v Linfield

Linfield v Warrenpoint Town

Crusaders v Linfield

Linfield v Glentoran

Manchester Street Art

Manchester Street Art Photo Album

Manchester United v Burnley

Manchester United v Burnley Photo Album

Manchester Snow

Manchester Snow Photo Album

Sheffield Street Art

Sheffield Street Art Photo Album

Salford Quays Street Art

Salford Quays Street Art Photo Album

VILNIUS STREET ART

Wherever I go, I like to try and get some photos of Street Art, and my recent visit to Vilnius was no exception.

I didn’t have long to wait to see something, spotting a mural at the Fire Station at the Airport. Unfortunately, I was unable to get a photo of it.

I spotted some pieces on my way into the City Centre, and made a note to get photos of them during my trip.

The main hub of Street Art in Vilnius is Uzupis, so it was unsurprising that I headed there to get photos of pieces.

There was one of Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin sharing a kiss, but that has now been painted over.

While I was there, the weather was dull and grey, but I still managed to get some decent photos.

Photo Album

ROCHDALE UPRISING

As in, Lisa Stansfield?

Yep.

The place where Gordon Brown called that woman a …..

Yep.

The team from League One that United needed a penalty shoot-out to beat in the League Cup?

Yes, that Rochdale.

Now, I’m no Michael Palin, I’m not even Michael Portillo, but I have travelled about a bit and seen Street Art in various cities such as Manchester, Liverpool, Sheffield, Bristol, London, Dublin, Amsterdam, Paris and Barcelona. However, Rochdale isn’t somewhere that would instantly come to mind as a place to travel to in order to see Street Art.

All that changed in August this year, with the first ever Rochdale Uprising event, a collaboration between the local council and the Street Art duo Nomad Clan, as an attempt to brighten up the Town Centre.

If the name Nomad Clan sounds familiar, that’s because they have previously featured on this blog for their work around Belfast.

Usually when they are written about, they are billed as being from Manchester. They are just based in Manchester, one of them comes from Rochdale, hence their involvement with the local council in this event.

I travelled to Rochdale by tram from Manchester, having been over for a United match. I would have been better off going by train, except that there weren’t many running due to flooding, so I didn’t really have a choice.

As my tram ventured from Rochdale Train Station to Rochdale Town Centre, I could see pieces as I looked out the window, excitedly making a mental note as to their location in order to get a photo.

As soon as I got off the tram, I walked about, stumbled onto one piece, and then another, and then another,

However, not all of the artwork was outdoors, as there is an exhibition inside Wheatsheaf Shopping Centre.

To be brutally honest, there’s no other reason to visit Rochdale, there’s not much to it.

This makes any such visit worthwhile.

It’s unknown if this was a one-off event or the first of an annual event. If it is an annual event, I’ll make sure to visit to snap the new pieces that appear whenever I am over for a trip to Old Trafford.

Photo Album

MANCHESTER STREET ART – NOVEMBER 2019

This edition of Manchester Street Art actually doesn’t begin in Manchester, but in Altrincham, in Greater Manchester.

I was in Manchester for United’s match against Partizan Belgrade. When in Manchester, I like to try and take in as much of Greater Manchester and the North Of England. With a bit of spare time on my hands before checking in, I headed to Altrincham, having not been there for a while to visit Altrincham Market.

While there, I spotted a mural of Brigitte Bardot outside Everyman Theatre. Naturally, I got some photos.

I’ve no idea why it was done, there’s no particular reason for it.

Background research shows it was done late last year by an artist called Richard Wilson. Not that one. If it was, your response would be “I don’t believe it”.

Upon arrival in Manchester, there was only one place to go, Stevenson Square, Manchester’s hotbed of Street Art, to take in the latest pieces.

You may have noticed them recently on TV, as Football Focus interviewed Juan Mata there.

Stevenson Square was as far as I got on Thursday, as it was chucking it down with rain, and by mid-afternoon, my main intention was checking in to my hotel, and getting into my warm and dry room.

On the tram to my hotel, I noticed a mural of Noel Gallagher. I know it’s somewhere near Cornbrook, but I didn’t go to find it. I’ll be back in Manchester in January for another match, so I’ll look for it then, if it’s still there.

If it’s not, the number one suspect will be a certain William Gallagher.

Friday was spent walking around Ancoats and Oldham Street to look for new pieces.

On Friday morning, I headed to Rochdale in search of Street Art (a separate blog will follow after this) meaning that I didn’t have any time to get photos of Salford Quays/Pomona Whaf.

Photo Album

Manchester Street Art – May 2019

Manchester Street Art – January 2019

Manchester Street Art – November 2018

Manchester Street Art – May 2018

Manchester Street Art – December 2017

Manchester Street Art – May 2017

Manchester Street Art – February 2017

Manchester Street Art – November 2016

Manchester Street Art – May 2016

Manchester Street Art – January 2016

Manchester Street Art – November 2015

Manchester Street Art – May 2015

Manchester Street Art – November 2014

THE JOKE’S ON CATWOMAN

There have been two new criminals spotted in Belfast recently, but relax, there is no need to contact the PSNI.

This week, some new artwork has appeared in Belfast City Centre, a collaboration between local artist Visual Waste and Canadian artist Derkz.

It is of The Joker (not sure whose portrayal it is, sorry) and Catwoman (Michelle Pfeiffer’s portrayal).

Obviously the best to take on those roles are Cesar Romero and Julie Newmar.

The location, as you may have seen in some photos, is Stephen Street in Belfast City Centre. It is a residential street close to Royal Avenue. This mural is at the far end of the street, away from the houses.

Just to warn you, if you look up the address on Google, you may find articles about the music producer Stephen Street, famous for his work with The Smiths and Blur. That’s how I’ve always remembered how to find this location, giving me a wee chuckle.

I stumbled upon this on Instagram on Wednesday night, and made a note to see it and photograph it as soon as possible.

Tonight, I had a half day on an unrelated matter, so with some daylight still to work with, I headed out on my bike to get some photos.

There has previously been some Gotham related murals in Belfast. Not strictly the same, but the alleyway leading into Ulster Sports Club used to simply have “THE JOKER” written on the wall.

Harley Quinn was immortalised on a wall in Exchange Way in 2017. That building has sadly been demolished, and the mural now gone.

And, of course, Batman is on a wall as part of a Superheroes mural in Slaibh Dubh on the Springfield Road.

This isn’t the first time a mural of Catwoman has appeared on this blog, with a mural of Julie Newmar appearing in Manchester in late 2016.

Photo Album

YORKGATE STREET ART

Spotted this when I looked out the window as I got the train to Carrick on Monday night, I made a note to go and see it the following weekend, a mural as you approach Yorkgate Shopping Centre from Belfast City Centre.

It’s obvious looking at it who it is by due to the style of painting, but a post on Instagram confirms it is by Friz.

I presume, it is a mural of Denise Weston Austin, one of North Belfast’s more curious residents, known as the Elephant Angel, who had an elephant from Belfast Zoo come home with her in the evenings.

You can read more about her here.

Phototaking wise, you are better taking photos from across the road to capture the mural in full.

Photo Album

ULSTER SPORTS CLUB STREET ART

Spotted some photos on Instagram of new Street Art in Belfast, so I decided to go and have a look in person.

It is at the back of Ulster Sports Club. If you want an easy tip on how to find it, look for the large mural of a man and a lobster.

Culture Night is coming up but there’ll be no Hit The North, that was in May.

I note from the programme that there is a Street Art event in The National, so i’ll check that out.

If there is something of note, you’ll see it here.

Photo Album