Bogside Artists
Encyclopedia
The Bogside Artists are a trio of mural
painters from Derry
, Northern Ireland
, consisting of Tom Kelly, his brother William Kelly, and Kevin Hasson (b. January 8, 1958). Their most famous work, a series of outdoor murals called the People's Gallery, is located in the Bogside
neighbourhood of Derry and depicts the events surrounding sectarian violence
and civil rights
protests in Northern Ireland
during the Troubles
.
. With supplies donated from local residents, they painted several murals on the walls of Rossville Street buildings commemorating the Battle of Bogside and Bloody Sunday
. From 1994 to 2008, they painted a total of twelve murals, which they named the People's Gallery. The People's Gallery spans the entire length of Rossville Street, which runs through the center of the Bogside
. It was in this area on 30 January 1972 that 13 civilians were killed by British Army
paratroopers in the Bloody Sunday disturbances (an additional civilian died later). The murals were officially inaguarated in August 2007 and an additional mural dedicated to Nobel Peace Prize
Laureate and retired leader of the Social Democratic and Labour Party
, John Hume
was completed in 2008.
The Bogside Artists have exhibited their work in various places, including Boston
and Washington, D.C.
They have painted a number of other works, most notably a mural of Martin Luther King Jr. in Washington D.C.
In addition to their work as muralists, the Bogside Artists also conduct art workshops with local Catholic
and Protestant children in order to promote cross-community understanding.
They were also featured in the documentaries What You See Is What You Get and Window on the West.
, president of the Berlin State Parliament
, cancelled a planned exibihition of the Bogside murals in the parliament building. He criticized the artists for their "partiality" in only representing one side of the conflicts in Northern Ireland. The artists stated that the murals are intended to be "a human document" rather than a political or sectarian statement.
Mural
A mural is any piece of artwork painted or applied directly on a wall, ceiling or other large permanent surface. A particularly distinguishing characteristic of mural painting is that the architectural elements of the given space are harmoniously incorporated into the picture.-History:Murals of...
painters from Derry
Derry
Derry or Londonderry is the second-biggest city in Northern Ireland and the fourth-biggest city on the island of Ireland. The name Derry is an anglicisation of the Irish name Doire or Doire Cholmcille meaning "oak-wood of Colmcille"...
, Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland is one of the four countries of the United Kingdom. Situated in the north-east of the island of Ireland, it shares a border with the Republic of Ireland to the south and west...
, consisting of Tom Kelly, his brother William Kelly, and Kevin Hasson (b. January 8, 1958). Their most famous work, a series of outdoor murals called the People's Gallery, is located in the Bogside
Bogside
The Bogside is a neighbourhood outside the city walls of Derry, Northern Ireland. The area has been a focus point for many of the events of The Troubles, from the Battle of the Bogside and Bloody Sunday in the 1960s and 1970s...
neighbourhood of Derry and depicts the events surrounding sectarian violence
Sectarian violence
Sectarian violence and/or sectarian strife is violence inspired by sectarianism, that is, between different sects of one particular mode of ideology or religion within a nation/community...
and civil rights
Civil rights
Civil and political rights are a class of rights that protect individuals' freedom from unwarranted infringement by governments and private organizations, and ensure one's ability to participate in the civil and political life of the state without discrimination or repression.Civil rights include...
protests in Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland is one of the four countries of the United Kingdom. Situated in the north-east of the island of Ireland, it shares a border with the Republic of Ireland to the south and west...
during the Troubles
The Troubles
The Troubles was a period of ethno-political conflict in Northern Ireland which spilled over at various times into England, the Republic of Ireland, and mainland Europe. The duration of the Troubles is conventionally dated from the late 1960s and considered by many to have ended with the Belfast...
.
Career
The Bogside Artists first began working together in 1993 to document the events surrounding the Northern Ireland TroublesThe Troubles
The Troubles was a period of ethno-political conflict in Northern Ireland which spilled over at various times into England, the Republic of Ireland, and mainland Europe. The duration of the Troubles is conventionally dated from the late 1960s and considered by many to have ended with the Belfast...
. With supplies donated from local residents, they painted several murals on the walls of Rossville Street buildings commemorating the Battle of Bogside and Bloody Sunday
Bloody Sunday (1972)
Bloody Sunday —sometimes called the Bogside Massacre—was an incident on 30 January 1972 in the Bogside area of Derry, Northern Ireland, in which twenty-six unarmed civil rights protesters and bystanders were shot by soldiers of the British Army...
. From 1994 to 2008, they painted a total of twelve murals, which they named the People's Gallery. The People's Gallery spans the entire length of Rossville Street, which runs through the center of the Bogside
Bogside
The Bogside is a neighbourhood outside the city walls of Derry, Northern Ireland. The area has been a focus point for many of the events of The Troubles, from the Battle of the Bogside and Bloody Sunday in the 1960s and 1970s...
. It was in this area on 30 January 1972 that 13 civilians were killed by British Army
British Army
The British Army is the land warfare branch of Her Majesty's Armed Forces in the United Kingdom. It came into being with the unification of the Kingdom of England and Scotland into the Kingdom of Great Britain in 1707. The new British Army incorporated Regiments that had already existed in England...
paratroopers in the Bloody Sunday disturbances (an additional civilian died later). The murals were officially inaguarated in August 2007 and an additional mural dedicated to Nobel Peace Prize
Nobel Peace Prize
The Nobel Peace Prize is one of the five Nobel Prizes bequeathed by the Swedish industrialist and inventor Alfred Nobel.-Background:According to Nobel's will, the Peace Prize shall be awarded to the person who...
Laureate and retired leader of the Social Democratic and Labour Party
Social Democratic and Labour Party
The Social Democratic and Labour Party is a social-democratic, Irish nationalist political party in Northern Ireland. Its basic party platform advocates Irish reunification, and the further devolution of powers while Northern Ireland remains part of the United Kingdom...
, John Hume
John Hume
John Hume is a former Irish politician from Derry, Northern Ireland. He was a founding member of the Social Democratic and Labour Party, and was co-recipient of the 1998 Nobel Peace Prize, with David Trimble....
was completed in 2008.
The Bogside Artists have exhibited their work in various places, including Boston
Boston
Boston is the capital of and largest city in Massachusetts, and is one of the oldest cities in the United States. The largest city in New England, Boston is regarded as the unofficial "Capital of New England" for its economic and cultural impact on the entire New England region. The city proper had...
and Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....
They have painted a number of other works, most notably a mural of Martin Luther King Jr. in Washington D.C.
In addition to their work as muralists, the Bogside Artists also conduct art workshops with local Catholic
Catholic
The word catholic comes from the Greek phrase , meaning "on the whole," "according to the whole" or "in general", and is a combination of the Greek words meaning "about" and meaning "whole"...
and Protestant children in order to promote cross-community understanding.
They were also featured in the documentaries What You See Is What You Get and Window on the West.
Controversy
In November 2005, Walter MomperWalter Momper
Walter Momper is a German politician and former Mayor of West Berlin 1989–1990 and Berlin 1990-1991. Whilst Governing Mayor, he served as President of the Bundesrat in 1989/90...
, president of the Berlin State Parliament
Abgeordnetenhaus von Berlin
The Abgeordnetenhaus of Berlin is the state parliament for the German state of Berlin, according to the state's constitution. The parliament is based at the building on Niederkirchnerstraße in Mitte which until 1934 was the seat of the lower house of the Preußischer Landtag...
, cancelled a planned exibihition of the Bogside murals in the parliament building. He criticized the artists for their "partiality" in only representing one side of the conflicts in Northern Ireland. The artists stated that the murals are intended to be "a human document" rather than a political or sectarian statement.