ABOUT THE ARTIST AND THE ART

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ABOUT THE ARTIST, THE SCULPTURE AND THE LOCATION

I spent years trying to identify this sculpture and then when I found out who the artist was I could not locate my photographs but I was not concerned as I could photograph the installation when I next visited the city but when I visited the city in 2023 the two figures had been removed.

The "Untitled (Flying Figures)" by the acclaimed British sculptor Dame Elisabeth Frink. It was created in 1963 and was a prominent feature on the wall of the former Ulster Bank building at Shaftesbury Square in Belfast.

The sculpture, also knicknamed "Airborne Men" or "Draft and Overdraft," features two larger-than-life aluminium figures seemingly suspended in mid-air. It's a powerful and dynamic piece, characteristic of Frink's work, which often explored themes of human vulnerability and resilience.

The sculpture was removed from the building in 2023 due to the closure of the Ulster Bank branch. It has since been gifted to the Ulster Museum and is expected to be displayed prominently in their new building.