Graffiti artists immortalise Irish writers at Cork Opera House

Two of Ireland’s top street artists have immortalised great Irish writers in graffiti on a theatre wall.

The stunning art project, which has transformed the once dull rear wall of Cork Opera House, was officially unveiled last night as the theatre announced its summer season.

The mural, which runs the length of Half Moon St, features giant stylised portraits, in three tones of electric blue, of literary giants George Bernard Shaw, CS Lewis, James Joyce, WB Yeats, Oscar Wilde, Theo Dorgan, Samuel Beckett, Bram Stoker, Maeve Binchy, and Conal Creedon.

Each of the portraits feature traditional graffiti flicks and arrows, built in to the writers’ faces. ‘Tags’, the signatures of other graffiti artists which were already daubed on the wall without permission, have also been included.

The mural was commissioned by Cork Opera House as part of a collaboration with the Camden Palace Hotel arts collective, and Flava Floors, and funded by the Dulux Let’s Colour scheme. The portraits were spray-painted freehand by Dusto, originally from Mallow, Co Cork, and Psychonautes, from France — two of the country’s most respected graffiti or street artists.

Dusto, who has worked on public art projects on the Shankhill Rd in Belfast, said they were delighted that the Opera House, and its chief executive Mary Hickson in particular, had recognised graffiti as an art form.

“Graffiti artists consider themselves as writers and we wanted to honour great Irish writers, while putting new work over the old art that was already there,” he said.

They spent two months researching the project and about a week painting the heads.

Dusto said he hopes the mural will be respected.

“There is a kind of respect in the graffiti world for people who put in an effort like this,” he said.

Ms Hickson said there has been a hugely positive reaction to the work from the city authorities and from local businesses.

*Check out more examples of the artists’ work at thethirdeye.eu