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Grafiti Wall, Belfast, 1973
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Grafiti Wall, Belfast, 1973
?Graf?ti Wall?, Belfast, 1973 - Oil on board, by Ralph Lillford, 1973. Associated with Northern Ireland (1969-2007). During ?the Troubles?, Belfast street walls became a place for rival sectarian graf?ti, often painted layer upon layer. A form of psychological warfare which also demonstrated control of terrain, the slogans were often directed at the British Army, exhorting them to ?go home?, or else boasted of paramilitary loyalties, such as ?Provos Rule?. Periodically the Army would drive past these walls and throw paint bombs at the slogans. The soldier wears a fragmentation vest, commonly known as a flak jacket, over DPM (disruptive pattern material) jacket and trousers. He wears his visor up on his helmet and carries an anti-riot shield. Date: 1974
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Media ID 14402406
© The National Army Museum / Mary Evans Picture Library
1969 1973 2007 Associated Belfast Control Demonstrated Form Layer Psychological Ralph Rival Sectarian Troubles Walls Warfare
Grafiti Wall, Belfast, 1973
EDITORS COMMENTS
is an evocative oil on board painting by Ralph Lillford that captures the raw and turbulent energy of the conflict-ridden streets of Belfast during "The Troubles," a period of intense political and sectarian violence in Northern Ireland that lasted from 1969 to 2007. The painting depicts a section of a Belfast wall covered in graffiti, a reflection of the deep-rooted tensions and divisions that marked this period. The graffiti on the wall is a testament to the fierce rivalry and psychological warfare that played out on the streets of Belfast. Slogans directed at the British Army urged them to "go home," while others boasted of paramilitary loyalties. The Army, in turn, would periodically drive past these walls and respond with paint bombs, attempting to erase the slogans and assert control of the terrain. In the painting, a British soldier is depicted standing in front of the graffiti-covered wall. He wears a fragmentation vest, or flak jacket, over his DPM (disruptive pattern material) jacket and trousers, signaling the heightened threat level. His visor is up on his helmet, and he carries an anti-riot shield, ready for potential confrontations. The year is listed as 1974, a year marked by intense violence and unrest in Northern Ireland. This powerful painting offers a glimpse into the complex and volatile political landscape of Northern Ireland during "The Troubles," a time when street walls became a battleground for competing ideologies and a reflection of the deep-seated divisions that marked this period in history.
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