HEADLESS URBAN EXPRESSION

There Is Much To See Here

urban culture

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

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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

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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

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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.”

EXAMPLES OF PAINT-A-BOX STREET ART

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NORTH KING STREET

At this location there is a memorial to the victims of the North King Street Massacre. I did not include the memorial in my photographs as I have already published photographs of the memorial.

Almost 500 people were killed in the Easter Rising. About 54% were civilians, 30% were British military and police, and 16% were Irish rebels. More than 2,600 were wounded. Many of the civilians were killed as a result of the British using artillery and heavy machine guns, or mistaking civilians for rebels. Others were caught in the crossfire in a crowded city. The shelling and the fires it caused left parts of inner city Dublin in ruins.

A major major scene of fighting during the week was in the area of North King Street, north of the Four Courts. The rebels had established strong outposts in the area, occupying numerous small buildings and barricading the streets. From Thursday to Saturday, the British made repeated attempts to take the area, in what was some of the fiercest fighting of the Rising. As the troops moved in, the rebels continually opened fire from windows and behind chimneys and barricades. At one point, a platoon led by Major Sheppard made a bayonet charge on one of the barricades, but was cut down by rebel fire. The British employed machine guns and attempted to avoid direct fire by using makeshift armoured trucks, and by mouse-holing through the inside walls of terraced houses to get near the rebel positions.[95] By the time of the rebel headquarters’ surrender on Saturday, the South Staffordshire Regiment under Colonel Taylor had advanced only 150 yd (140 m) down the street at a cost of 11 dead and 28 wounded. The enraged troops broke into the houses along the street and shot or bayoneted 15 unarmed male civilians whom they accused of being rebel fighters. The youngest was 16 years.

There was no public inquiry into the massacre; the British Army conducted its own internal military inquiry and no action was taken. In fact, the General Officer Commanding of the British Army in Ireland, General Maxwell justified his troops’ actions, stating that such incidents, “are absolutely unavoidable in such a business as this” and “responsibility for their deaths rests with those resisting His Majesty’s troops in the execution of their duty.”

PAINT-A-BOX STREET ART AT WEAVER PARK

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I SUSPECT THAT THIS IS YET TO BE FINISHED

Unfortunately I know nothing about this other than it is on Cork Street near Weaver Park. I will check it again in a week or two.

PAINT-A-BOX STREET ART

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OUTSIDE JAMES ADAM & SONS

James Adam and Sons Ltd, trading as Adam’s, is Ireland’s leading Fine Art Auctioneers and Valuers. Founded in 1887, it is situated in the heart of Dublin on St Stephen’s Green.

Over the last century the company has developed its expertise in many fields and currently offers specialist sales ranging from Important Irish Art, Fine Period Furniture, Silver & Object’s Of Vertu, Contemporary & Modern Art, Militaria & Memorabilia as well as Vintage Wine Sales and we are adept at the appraisal and sale of private collections.

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