HEADLESS URBAN EXPRESSION

There Is Much To See Here

STREET ART UNDER THE BRIDGE

by

BALLYMORE COMPLEX AT THE 8TH LOCK ON THE ROYAL CANAL

The 8th Lock on the Royal Canal is a well-constructed canal lock that forms part of a wider collection of locks, bridges and lock-keepers’ houses associated with the Royal Canal on its journey from Spencer Dock to Longford town. Displaying quality masonry skills and early eighteenth-century engineering, it attests to the importance of the canal’s role at the time of construction. Fully functioning, this lock serves recreational use today and remains an important element in the architectural and industrial heritage of north Dublin.

The 8th Lock residential project comprises five sections which are between four and thirteen storeys high and due for completion between October 2023 and March 2025. It is just 300 metres from the new Pelletstown railway station which I also visited today.

The 8th Lock complex, on the site of the former Ormond Printworks (I was an employee many years ago) on Ratoath Road, will eventually comprise 218 one-bedroom and 217 two-bedroom apartments, and 4,200sq m of commercial and amenity space. This will include public plazas, a healthcare centre, pharmacy, own-door offices and a gym. Some 255 car parking spaces, electric vehicle charging points, disabled parking and nearly 950 bicycle parking spaces will be provided at surface and undercroft levels.

The 8th Lock is the first large development In Ireland or in the UK to make use of a pioneering low-carbon product known as CarbonCure. This allows recycled CO₂ to be embedded into fresh concrete during mixing without compromising performance. To date CarbonCure Technologies has prevented over 174,000 tonnes of CO₂ being released into the atmosphere, with millions more set to be sequestered into the future. Ballymore is employing the technology with Kilsaran at the 8th Lock.

WHILE WAITING FOR THE HUNGRY MEXICAN TO OPEN I EXPLORED THE BACK LANE

by

URBAN EXPRESSION ON BEDFORD LANE

Today I decided to have lunch at the Hungry Mexican on Aston Quay but when I arrived I discovered that they did not open until 4PM so I decided to spend about thirty minutes exploring the lane complex behind the restaurant as well as other parts of Temple Bar. Fortunately I had my iPhone 12 Pro Max which I use as a camera rather than as a phone. However, I had some problems with the device as I have a beta version of the operating system installed and it had automatically updated overnight and the update impacted on the performance of my Halide Camera app.

“The Icon Walk Dublin is a multi-street public art installation which showcases original artwork by many different local artists of Irish icons from many disciplines including: writers and playwrights, sports icons, musicians, and actors from the performing arts. The Icon Walk Dublin is accessible and relevant, collaborative and inclusive, efficient and adaptable. It is a sustainable and economical model for public art projects, that is truly iconic and inspirational.”

The Icon Factory is a not-for-profit co-operative of Dublin based artists. It consists of a small workshop, gallery and shop. However, their main contribution to the area is the Icon Walk and having spoken to one artist it is more than possible that they could operate equally well from another location and still maintain and even enhance their Temple Bar activities.

I IMMEDIATELY KNEW THAT THIS ART WAS BY CLAIRE PROUVOST

by

MURALS AT TARA STREET STATION

Claire Prouvost is a French graphic designer and illustrator living and working in Dublin. She loves to paint women in a cubist inspired style, using gouaches for their vibrant colours. Her colourful work plays with shapes, contrast, and composition to show the simple beauty of things in our daily lives.

Today I used my Sony 85mm GM lens with the Sony FX30 so it was effectively a 127mm lens. This is supposed to be one of the best lens that I own and it has been described as the ultimate portrait prime. The perfect 85mm F1.4 portrait lens with outstanding sharpness dissolving to magnificent bokeh. I obtained a copy on the day that it became available here in Ireland in advance of any genuine reviews. I immediately discovered that it made a horrible grating noise while focusing. According to some reviews that I came across months later “The Sony FE 85mm f/1.4 GM lens has a focusing system that makes some noise. It sounds a little like metal scraping or a linear piezo motor even though it’s an SSM motor. It’s much quieter in video AF mode. Nearly silent.”.

I brought my copy back to the dealer and the told me that it would take a month or two to get a replacement so I decided to keep my copy on condition that I could replace it at some later date.

Here are some of the reviews of the Sony 85mm GM lens:

“The Sony FE 85mm f/1.4 GM is a superb lens that delivers outstanding image quality. It is sharp, contrasty, and has beautiful bokeh. The autofocus is fast and accurate, and the lens is weather-sealed. It is an excellent choice for portrait photographers.” – DPreview

“The Sony FE 85mm f/1.4 GM is a top-of-the-line portrait lens that offers excellent image quality and performance. It is sharp, has beautiful bokeh, and is weather-sealed. It is a bit on the expensive side, but it is worth the investment for serious portrait photographers.” – The Phoblographer

“The Sony FE 85mm f/1.4 GM is a fantastic lens that delivers excellent image quality in a variety of situations. It is sharp, has beautiful bokeh, and is weather-sealed. It is a bit on the large and heavy side, but it is still a great choice for portrait photographers.” – Cameralabs

Overall, the Sony FE 85mm f/1.4 GM is a highly rated lens that is well-suited for portrait photography. It is sharp, has beautiful bokeh, and is weather-sealed. However, it is also a bit on the expensive side.

JENNY’S CHAIR BY ALBENTY AT MONTPELIER HILL

by

THIS HAS SURVIVED SINCE 2016

Originally, when I first published photographs of this artwork, I said that I believed that it was dedicated to someone named Jenny. Today I discovered that title is “Jenny’s Chair”

Albenty is an Irish street artist who is known for his colourful and playful murals. He often depicts animals, plants, and other natural elements in his work, and his pieces often have a whimsical or humorous touch. Albenty’s work can be found all over Dublin, and he has also exhibited his work in galleries in Ireland and the United Kingdom.

Albenty is a self-taught artist who began painting graffiti in the early 2000s. He quickly developed his own unique style, and his work has been praised for its originality and its ability to brighten up the urban landscape. Albenty is also known for his commitment to social justice, and many of his murals address issues such as poverty, homelessness, and environmentalism.

In addition to his street art, Albenty also creates prints, paintings, and sculptures. He has collaborated with a number of other artists, including Maser, Aches, and Subset. Albenty’s work has been featured in a number of publications, including The Irish Times, The Guardian, and Vice.

[Note: I have been unable to fully verify the information relating to Albenty]

I RECEIVED THE FOLLOWING INFORMATION:

“Jenny’s Chair marks a three-year campaign by Jenny and a group of women from Montpelier Hill and Drive in response to an increasing number of incidents where children and young girls were being approached by kerb crawlers in the area. From 2003 to 2006, these women kept vigil on the street every night (except for Tuesdays which was Bingo night!), warning kerb crawlers that they were being watched and would be reported. The women’s efforts were ahead of their time, targeting the men who were soliciting and not the women involved in prostitution. The law was eventually changed in 2017 to make it an offence to purchase sex.”

THIS MURAL IS TO REMAIN ON THE GABLE WALL AT LONGWOOD AVENUE

by

A TRIBUTE TO DAVID ATTENBOROUGH

Today I had an appointment at Harolds’s Cross so I decided to walk there and visit Longwood Avenue, on my way, in order to check if this large mural had survived the legal and official attempts to have it removed.

In June 2022 it was announced that Dublin City Council was to drop its prosecution of art group Subset for three prominent street murals – including this one celebrating the life of David Attenborough.

In November 2019 I upload photographs of this mural and included the following comment: “Dublin City Council has ordered that a mural of David Attenborough on the side of a property in south Dublin should be removed. An entity or group known as Subset had recently created the Street Art tribute to David Attenborough on his 93rd birthday.”

The David Attenborough Mural is a large-scale street mural located on the gable wall of a house on South Circular Road facing onto Longwood Avenue in Dublin 8, Ireland. It was painted in 2019 by the artist collective SUBSET to mark the renowned naturalist and broadcaster’s 93rd birthday. The mural depicts Attenborough in his signature khaki jacket and hat, standing next to a group of animals, including a penguin, a lion, and an elephant. The mural is vibrantly coloured and features a stylised depiction of the natural world.

The mural was controversial from the start, as it was painted without planning permission from Dublin City Council. The council eventually ordered the mural to be removed, but this decision was met with widespread public opposition. A petition to save the mural attracted over 10,000 signatures, and the council eventually dropped its prosecution of the artists.

The David Attenborough Mural is now considered to be a popular tourist attraction in Dublin. It is a reminder of the city’s vibrant street art scene and its appreciation for the natural world.

REMEMBERING THOMAS DUDLEY 1906-1981 WHO WAS KNOWN AS BANG BANG

by

DUBLIN STREET ART ON CAPEL STREET 10 AUGUST 2023

This is located on Capel Street and as this was my first time to see it one can assume that it is recent as is the chair chained to the railings.

Thomas Dudley, better known as “Bang Bang”, was a well-known street character in Dublin in the mid-20th century. He was known for carrying a large church key around with him and pretending to shoot people with it. He would often shout “Bang Bang!” as he did this.

Dudley was born in Dublin in 1906. He was raised in an orphanage and had a difficult childhood. He was also blind in one eye. Despite his challenges, Dudley was a charismatic and outgoing person.

Bang Bang became a popular figure in Dublin in the 1940s and 1950s. He was often seen riding the buses and trams, pointing his church key at people and shouting “Bang Bang!”

You will find links to buy products from Amazon, Google and other partners. If you click on these links, you’ll find that the URL includes a small extra piece of text which identifies that the click came from my websites. This text is an affiliate code, and it means that I get a small payment if you choose to buy that product. These affiliate links help pay the costs of producing my websites and ensure that the content is free to you.