Graffiti: South Belfast
Due to its illegality Graffiti is seen as a subculture that rebels against authority, but it is often used as a form of self-expression which can establish dialogue and address divisions in socially, ethnically and culturally divided communities. Graffiti is a mode of communication used to convey social and political messages. Instead of choosing more mainstream modes of communication, such as advertising, PR and going online, a more traditional public domain, the streets, is chosen to express alternative views. Sometimes these types of displays act as a public marking of the authors own territory.
Graffiti conveys a range of attitudes reflecting each groups own social and economic conditions. Messages range from humour and wit, ‘tv license men beware’ to anti-war, feminist, anti-consumerist and anti-establishment themes such ‘fuck da queen’.
The first instalment of this photography project documents graffiti in South Belfast. Given the illegal nature of the medium, sometimes the graffiti work lasts for a short period of time before it is cleaned up, some of the work in this project may not be there anymore.
