The Dark Side of Art
Upon crossing the bridge into the Protestant section of Derry, one would come across more murals, but of a very different nature than those created by the Bogside Artists. The artwork in this section of Derry is filled with British propaganda, and for many Irish Catholics, it is representative of many long years the they endured in conflict with the Protestants. While walking through the neighborhood, I could not imagine why this frankly terrifying atmosphere broadcasted by the artwork and decoration was allowed to last. Many of the murals have fallen into disrepair since their creation, so no one was making any effort to restore them in the same way the Bogside Artists continue to restore their murals on the Bogside.
The murals in this neighborhood are comparable to the work of the Bogside Artists in that they, too, serves as a reminder of the hard times in Northern Ireland. These murals, however, lack the air of respect and solemnity the Bogside Artists worked so painstakingly in their own art to achieve. The art over the bridge in this section of Derry recall the violence and polarization the troubles wrought without reconciling with them.