By James Bacon: Dublin has taken the concept of street art positively over the years, with some stunning imagery on gable ends of buildings and electrical street boxes and places that are closed and drab. I was in Dublin for multiple reasons, my Mam was having some surgery, (hip replacement that went exceedingly well) and it coincided with Dublin Comic Con, and so a mix of family, friends and comics was on the cards for a short trip home. 

I have taken to walking from Mom’s to the City Centre, mostly as the weather was mild, upper teens, for those of you from the 11 countries that still use Fahrenheit, somewhere in the 60’s. This allows me to call into Little Deer Comics just off Manor St, which is actually in the same Parish as my home just over a mile away (1.9km) , then onto Dublin City Comics and Sub-City Comics, on Capel St and  Mary St respectively, a further three-quarters of a mile. (1.3km). It is a nice walk along roads I have known for a long time, and there is a continual profusion of new restaurants, coffee shops and a great variety along this route.  

As I walk along, I often see the street art, and photograph it, this is not something new, but now I have more than six images, I thought it was worth showing them here. The propensity of the street artwork, has at times has been capitalised on, and one of my favourite images, is the Huge Mandalorian advert, in a street style. I like this, because an artist is being paid and also, well it is quite lovely. This piece should be and could be juxtaposed with the “Stop Wars” image by Fink, which is definitely not an endorsed or approved piece by Disney per se (I do not see Lucasfilm going around removing such art, though) I am not sure if this piece still exists, Dublin is continually changing as development occurs.

«Stop Wars» par Fink Art, Francis Street #Dublin #StreetArt pic.twitter.com/oPfD6De7fG

— LaParisienneLibérée (@laparisiennelib) January 5, 2016

Some of the art is immediately recognizable, like Felix the Cat, in other places, it is hard to know what inspired or influenced a beautiful work, while some pieces are very famous indeed, or feature famous people. 

Visit Dublin shares details of some of the Street Art, including Brendan Behan in “Summerhill – Writer’s Block” by Shane Sutton, and on the side of The George, “Wallis Bird” by Emmalene Blake, which I could not see as I walked along that lane, as The George was having work down on awnings. 

Artur Bordalo’s “Red Squirrel” piece at Tara St which was an amazing creation, using paint and the rubbish from the city to create a massive Red Squirrel including a bike, has been fallen foul of redevelopment, and as I looked at what was left, a crazy outline shadow of paint, and with that one realises how transient the street can art be. The Mandalorian art is long gone, but also images of important political and human moments, such as a mural of “Savita Halappanavar” and “The Claddagh Embrace” by Joe Casslin, disappeared, sadly, and I wondered about that image as I stood on Georges St.   

On this visit, I noted that there was a Micheal Collins mural on Abbey Street. Collins was only 31 when he was killed in the Irish Civil War, having fought in the 1916 Rising at the GPO, then being Director of Intelligence for the IRA during the War of Independence, and a TD, Minister, and Commander-in-chief of the National Army during the Civil War. He is a historical figure, much revered and his loss lamented. Yet someone had graphitti’d over the street art, “Traitor” which while a shame, but does remind one that there is complexity to our history. There is so very often politics within art, and that is important, an artistic expression, generating thought, discussion and, one hopes, reflection. 

I think in SF Fandom, we totally understand how politics has always been a component of both Science Fiction and the broader community, sometimes it is subtle, sometimes an allegory, metaphor or reflection appears in some fiction or art, sometimes it is misunderstood or not seen, at other times, like when there were adverts for and against supporting US involvement in Vietnam nearly sixty years ago it is more prominent and a component of the community speaking out. Discussion is a good thing. 

Art was a key part of my visit to Dublin Comic Con, and I had a good time there, and wrote up a full report for Down The Tubes, “Dublin Comic Con – All the comic art…”. It is always nice to be back in the CCD, the atmosphere is wonderful, and there is great enthusiasm for so many fan aspects. Octocon was on hand doing a fascinating panel Queer Cartoons – For the Honour of Gayskull! From the queer coding of He-Man in the 1980s to the almost-representation of Legend of Korra amongst other cartoons in The Geek Ireland track. 

The calibre of art at Dublin Comic Con, was strong and I was delighted to get a number of “sketches” on blank covers, which really are a wonderful vehicle for art, and very popular with fans and publishers, capitalising on this adjacent market, that fans love so much. Fans are very lucky, where comic artists are happy to draw, or sell original art, for fans to own, cherish, display and share. I would love to see more displays of comic art, I think SF fans appreciate this, where we have had Art Shows for many years and this is definitely something that could develop at comic cons.  

I think Comic Conventions that organically diversify, like Dublin Comic Con, welcoming and involving local groups, are part of the future, YALC at London Film and Comic Con has shown how strong a component prose can be at a comic con, and my next convention is in Bedford, called “To Be Continued”  has developed quite the lineup of authors this year, to complement the comic professionals, including Irish Favourite and New York Times bestseller Sarah Rees Brennan, whose Long Live Evil hit number one in the UK last month, and is busy doing a whistle stop tour of the US this week — DC, Boston, Santa Cruz, Houston and LA.

There feels like there is just more art available and existing than there once was, drab grey’s changed into colourful images, capturing imagination and delight, entertaining for a brief moment, or holding the viewer for a bit longer as the work or subject is appreciated and considered. The variety in Dublin is really amazing and of course, on my next visit, I may find more.