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THE ARTIST GROUP who painted the giant Stormzy mural in Smithfield, Dublin has launched a visual protest after Dublin City Council issued them with a removal warning.
Dublin City Council is threatening to remove the mural after the artist collective group Subset failed to obtain planning permission for the project.
Subset painted the mural of London rapper Stormzy on 27 March in anticipation for his concert in the Olympia Theatre two days later. The mural has remained in place since March.
Dublin City Council has contacted Subset and informed the group that the mural must be removed by 15 December as it did not have planning permission.
A spokesperson for Subset told TheJournal.ie that it didn’t apply for planning permission because it couldn’t afford the cost.
“We’re a startup. We have very little money and in order for us to apply for planning permission… it would have been very costly and time-consuming,” the spokesperson said.
Subset has another mural painted on the side of a building on Castlewood Avenue in Rathmines. The council issued the group with a warning letter which states that it also has to be removed as it doesn’t have planning permission.
“It has come to the attention of Dublin City Council, the Planning Authority, that unauthorised development may have been, is being or may be carried out at the above premises,” the letter reads.
Visual protest
In protest to the removal warnings from Dublin City Council, Subset has partially painted over both murals, to demonstrate what the walls will look like again once they are back to a blank canvas.
“We’re attempting to transform what is a negative situation for us, and those who like our artwork, into a catalyst for cultural, social and political change. Here’s hoping,” the spokesperson said.
It’s freedom of expression. We want freedom of expression through different mediums.
Subset has criticised the council for its decision, claiming that it contradictory of its Cultural Strategy 2016-2021.
The strategy states that “culture is central to human development, central to Dublin’s quality of life and its relationship with Ireland, Europe and the rest of the world”.
Leading, developing and working in partnership, Dublin City Council will create and support opportunities for all citizens to equally engage in inclusive and diverse cultural experiences.
Subset has been granted four weeks to make submissions or observations in writing to the council regarding the removal of both murals.
However, Subset has decided not to apply for retention to the council because, again, it said that it would be too costly.
While both murals are a current visual mark of protest, both will be removed by Subset over the coming few weeks.
“We’re in a very difficult position ourselves at the moment. We don’t have the time or energy to invest in that. So we’re just going to remove the artwork.”
The Stormzy mural will be removed by 15 December. The mural in Rathmines will be removed tonight.
Dublin City Council has been contacted for comment.
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Always questions questions questions, but never any answers!
@Colette Kearns: It’s a hospital, the chances of a virus being there is quite high. I think that answers the question
They’re bacteria?
@Timmy:
Eh, no, hospitals being places where bacteria are likely to be found does not answer why they cut the cleaning budget.
@Timmy: TIMMY!
@Timmy: I also think it answers the question, albeit in a superficial and practically inept fashion. The idea in the hospital is to not endanger the patients (or staff) any further. That specifically includes maintaining the highest of hygiene standards, the hospital failed to do that and cutting the cleaning regime was obviously a factor in that.
@Jon Snow: Livin’ a lie, TIMMY!
Of all the things to be cut in a hospital, hygiene!!! I’m not a doctor, but is cleanliness not vitally important in a hospital of all places??
Never happened when the nuns were in charge, the hospitals were always spick and span.
Cutting costs on cleaning and putting people’s lives in danger. Like why not just reduce the boards massive wage bill instead.
@Darren Cooney: you will probably find the Board are all unpaid volunteers.
Lowest bid cleaning contractors???? Hospitals need qualified in-house cleaning staff 24.7
The answer lies in the fact that there’s an antibiotic culture in this country.
@Darren Bates: No… it doesn’t. In the case of these superbugs it’s more to do with an antibiotic problem… in India.
“Questions need to be asked”
The favourite go to line of many a politician, knowing only too well it’ll all be forgotten and buried in a few days/weeks.
Ridiculous to cut the budget. But very misleading article- cleaning or lack there of does not contribute to carbarpenem resistance, the use of that antibiotic does.
The day of drug resistant staph and enterococcus is fast approaching.
@George Beckett: to be infected by the bacterium requires the bacterium to be presence.
The probability of the presence of the bacterium is increased by reduction in cleaning.
Prevention of infection is better than cure, especially in the case of antibiotuc resistance fir the bacterium.
@George Beckett: Eh… the day is here? It’s called MRSA and CRE or VRE. Nobody is disputing how resistance evoloution happens they’re disputing that proper measures aren’t taken to try and prevent the acquisition of these bugs.
@George Beckett:
Yes but it can be controlled by correct aseptic methodology which include cleaning regimes which is lacking in this case
No accountability,no consequences.
“Penny wise, Pound foolish” the mantra of government.
“Penny wise, Pound foolish” the mantra of government.
It’s been widely reported in the past that this hospital has had issues with bullying and it’s ‘management style’, particularly in it’s Emergency Department, resulting in consultants there becoming whistleblowers. I’ve heard whispers that little has changed, the hospital management hire highly qualified staff to help enact changes. But these are consequently bullied and unable to do their job – a job which had been earmarked for another member of staff belonging to a clique within the hospital. Unwilling to admit they have a problem with bullying, the management then become a reluctant party to it.
The lunatics are running this particular asylum, and have been for quite some time, so it should be no surprise when some questionable decisions are made, but just how much latitude are they going to be given before an adult steps in and takes control is the real question. This isn’t the first time patients lives have been put in danger, or even lost in Tallaght Hospital, particularly in it’s Emergency Department, the issues aren’t being resolved and appear to be getting worse.
It would help tallaght hospital if they got half decent cleaners to clean wards/toilets/main hospital areas. Place is filthy
Why not get prisoners to clean then hospitals at 4am. Problem solved.
Get the nuns in with the Dosco brushes n Dettol
Who I mean who, decided a hospital (any hospital) only needed to be cleaned 6 out of 7 days?
Find the person and let him go….
have your say