Urban Expression

MURAL BY ALEX SENNA 2023 WATERFORD WALLS 194 BALLYBEG SQUARE

August 15, 2025 by infomatique

PHOTOGRAPHED AUGUST 2025

I was unable to visit Waterford in 2022 or 2023 so, while I was aware of this Mural, I was unable to photograph it until 2025.

A noteworthy aspect of this mural is its integration of localised details. Senna painted an image of the house itself onto a figure’s jumper and included the skyline of Waterford City within the artwork. This inclusion of local elements demonstrates his artistic versatility and his commitment to grounding his universal themes in a specific, personal context.

A pivotal aspect of Senna’s artistic practice is his exclusive use of a black-and-white palette, a deliberate choice rooted in his personal experience with colour-blindness. This unique personal trait is not a limitation but a fundamental aspect of his artistic identity. The removal of colour, a decision born from his continued use of a single color in his sketchbooks, forces a focus on form, narrative, and emotion, stripping away the visual distractions and potential political or cultural baggage that colour can carry.

This monochromatic approach serves a deeper artistic and social purpose. By reducing his visual language to “black and white silhouette-like characters” , Senna creates a unifying visual shorthand. His art, while depicting the “everyday life of ordinary people,” also speaks to “social issues such as the coexistence of people with different cultures”. In a country as vibrant and multicultural as Brazil, the choice to use black and white can be seen as an attempt to visually transcend difference and emphasise the shared human experience. This simple, stark contrast creates a “much needed unity” , allowing viewers to connect with his characters as universal representations of emotion rather than as individuals defined by superficial or cultural markers. The elegant simplicity of his work is designed to communicate messages that are “simple, clear, and straight from the heart”.

STREET ART IN WATERFORD IN MAY 2016

March 4, 2023 by infomatique

IT WAS MUCH BETTER IN 2017

When I visited the City of Waterford in 2016 I was unaware of the Waterford Walls annual street art festival I managed to not visit the areas where the best street art was on display. In 2017 I was much better prepared.

Each year new works of vibrant street art are added to Waterford’s walls, creating the wonderful outdoor gallery that locals and visitors alike get to explore and enjoy every day! Since 2014, the mission of Waterford Walls is to transform and regenerate urban spaces in Waterford to inspire and connect communities.

STREET ART AT ONE END OF COLLEGE STREET

March 2, 2023 by infomatique

NEAR THE OLD ASYLUM WATERFORD 2016

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During my 2016 visit I discovered that Waterford City hosted an amazing collection of street are and it gets better every year because of the Waterford Walls street art festival. I could not visit last year and unfortunately I cannot find a suitable hotel this room [late August/ early September].

STREET ART AT ONE END OF COLLEGE STREET NEAR THE OLD ASYLUM 001

STREET ART AT ONE END OF COLLEGE STREET NEAR THE OLD ASYLUM 002

ABOUT A GIRL BY KEMP MAY 2015

February 28, 2023 by infomatique

WATERFORD WALLS PROJECT AT NEWGATE STREET IN WATERFORD PHOTOGRAPHED IN 2016

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[Update 28 February 2023] I checked Google Maps and the building in my photographs has been demolished []

According to a local there is a lot of graffiti in Waterford because there is a huge amount of derelict property, I got the impression that he was not impressed by the murals throughout the city.

This was difficult to photograph as I was very much constrained by the fact that I was using a 90mm lens when I photographed this artwork in May 2016.

KEMP is a Dublin based stencil artist. He is the curator and originator of the OUTVASION project. He has held solo exhibitions in NewYork (2012), Waterford (2012) and Dublin (2013). Working mainly on portrait based pieces he has recently began to mix these with backgrounds of urban sprawl.The theme of his work varies but the thought process behind it stays the same, to bring out the beautiful in both the mundane and the extraordinary.

Newgate street extends westwards from the Applemarket, connects with John Street and Michael Street, with Newgate Street and John’s Lane. It was part of the new gate development undertaken in the late 15th century and which provided an additional gateway into the Anglo-Norman city.

URBAN EXPRESSION ON STEPHEN’S STREET AND ALEXANDER STREET

February 27, 2023 by infomatique

DE LA SALLE HALL WATERFORD

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My first visit to Waterford was in May 2016 and I was surprised to discover much really good street art and when I asked the staff back at the hotel why it was so good they told me that there was an annual event known as Waterford Walls. I decided that I would visit every September to visit to photograph what had been created during the festival but unfortunately I was unable to do so. Covid restrictions created problems for me, last year my hotel booking was cancelled and this year I cannot get a suitable hotel room at a price that I am willing to pay.

In August 2015 twenty two artists used the walls of Waterford city are their canvas. The Waterford Walls event had surpassed all expectations as locals and visitors flocked to the city to see the street artists in action. I was not certain if the hall was included in the programme but I am assuming that it was.

This building is an attractive and substantial composition of graceful proportions that, despite currently being disused, remains in very good condition. The building retains its original form and character, together with important original salient features and materials that contribute to the character of the site. The building is a prominent feature of the streetscape, and forms an important corner site linking Stephen’s Street with Alexander Street.