MILLENNIUM PEACE MURAL ADDS SPLASH TO OMAGH'S DUBLIN ROAD
Millennium 'PEACE' mural adds splash of colour to Omagh's Dublin Road
by Olga Bradshaw
A SMALL corner of Dublin Road is awash with vibrant colour now that the long-planned Millennium Mural has been unveiled -celebrating everything that is positive and creative about life in Omagh and the surrounding district.
Taking three weeks of painstaking work, creating the unique scene on a special art medium background which will withstand the Tyrone climate, the Millennium Mural was unveiled in spectacular style on Friday evening on the gable wall of McGinn's furniture shop.
The specially hand-mixed acrylic paints used by the artist, Mode 2, who now lives in Paris, but who was born in Mauritius, will remain true to colour for the duration of the life of the work, while the design is unique to Omagh, its people and the surrounding countryside.
The guest of honour at the unveiling ceremony was Ms. Roisin McDonough, chief executive of the Arts Council of Northern Ireland, who spoke eloquently about the importance of art in the community and its relationship to life and culture.
Mr. Colm McGinn, proprietor of Jack McGinn's, also spoke on the importance of art in everyday life, and thanked those involved for their assistance in helping the project reach fruition so successfully.
He also paid tribute to those who had helped to stage the exhibition and who officiated at the buffet and wine reception.
Driving force
The driving force behind the mural, which was to mark the millennium, was Ms Briege McClean, of the Omagh Community Arts Initiative, who applied for funding, and who has worked tirelessly to ensure the success of the project.
Ms. McClean acted as MC for the unveiling, which began with a wine reception at McGinn's, and included an excellent buffet, including a whole decorated salmon, provided by the management and restaurant staff of The Sheelin, at Ballanaleck, Co. Fermanagh.
Initiated by the Omagh Community Arts Initiative, funding for the project was provided by The Northern Ireland Voluntary Trust and The Enkalon Foundation.
Mode's several visits to Omagh followed a series of workshops previously undertaken by local children, who put on paper their thoughts on their home town and their visions of what future development in the town would look like.
It was from sketches and in harmony with work at the Tara Centre that Mode went on to interpret what they were saying pictorially and develop the mural some aspects of which were similar in theme to ideas that were developing locally.
During the initial stages Mode sketched the preliminary piece in the Tara Centre, at Campsie Road in the town, and then this was transferred to the front of McGinn's furniture store, Dublin Road, where the colour was added and where the public had full view of the work in progress and who could come in and speak to the artist and make comments and suggestions, which could be woven into the overall fabric of what the artwork represented.
The mural is now fixed on the side entrance to the car park alongside McGinn's shop, so that pedestrians and motorists using Dublin Road will be able to enjoy its simplistic message and distinctly rural Irish colours and tones.
The evening was enhanced with the playing of a French national tune, 'La Bourn', by Gortaclare Pipe Band member, Steven Cochrane, who looked resplendent in his black and red tartan uniform.
The 15-year-old is a son of Norman and Victoria Cochrane, of Tircur Road, Lislap, and has been playing the pipes since he was eight. The band came fifth in the class for Grade 4A at the European Championships at the weekend - adding to the celebratory atmosphere in the Cochrane household.
Mrs. Cochrane, who also attended the unveiling, paid tribute to Mode, saying his mural was a beautiful addition to the Omagh urban landscape.
"Something like this would be lovely if a bit more of it was through the town maybe it will inspire others to do something else," she said.
Inside the venue a display of the initial sketches and how the idea developed were on display for guests, and included a video of the artist. Mode 2, working on the mural.
Each of the characters in the mural represent the letters PEACE, with a child carrying a balloon on which is the letter 'P', accompanied by its mother, a young boy carrying a box containing computer equipment, on which is the lower case letter 'e', an architect focusing on his plans for an 'A' shaped building, a businessman opening his briefcase and his paperwork blowing away in the wind forming the 'C, and, finally, two students carrying a table, with the table top and legs forming the capital letter 'E'.
According to Mode, each of the figures in the group is representative of Omagh, and other symbols are also contained in the mural which are particular to the town.
Stone bridge
One of the most obvious is the old stone bridge with its, over which the characters are walking.
Interestingly, the initial sketches were made on the day of the bombing in Omagh, in 1998, in one of many sketch books that Mode keeps close to hand, and while they have been refined somewhat, essentially they are very close to the original concept. This was long before Mode knew that he was the winner of the tender to create the piece of public art which is now on display at Dublin Road.
Other subtle touches include the wind turbines on Bessie Bell mountain to the left of the painting, and swallows darting through the air on the right-hand-side of the composition.
In the background are the familiar three arches of the Omagh skyline, and the 'Tyrone among the bushes' feel is captured in the amount of suggested foliage and trees which have been carefully woven into the masterpiece.
The combined effect is something which is uniquely Omagh-esque, and is one of only a very limited few such pieces ever to be placed on public display in Northern Ireland by Mode one of Europe's leading street scene mural painters.
In addition to his art work. Mode also gives lectures and is deeply committed to the history of the modern art form and its 'polities', working also on record sleeves graphics and commissions for that industry, as well as supporting the World's largest Breakdance competition, the Battle of the Year, in Germany, with heats taking place across 14 different countries.
Inspiration for his figures comes from his observations of people, and the photographs of people he takes while on the move between towns and cities, or while he is taking time out and is observing people as they get on with their lives and interact socially.
So, while his human subjects are both instantly recognisable as Mode's work, and highly stylised, they are also people taken from real life and transplanted into paintings at later dates.
A guestbook opened on the night of the launch, is available for viewers' comments until the end of July. Those wishing to record their thoughts on the artwork can do so by contacting McGinn's staff, who will direct them to the book and the accompanying exhibition.
by Olga Bradshaw
A SMALL corner of Dublin Road is awash with vibrant colour now that the long-planned Millennium Mural has been unveiled -celebrating everything that is positive and creative about life in Omagh and the surrounding district.
Taking three weeks of painstaking work, creating the unique scene on a special art medium background which will withstand the Tyrone climate, the Millennium Mural was unveiled in spectacular style on Friday evening on the gable wall of McGinn's furniture shop.
The specially hand-mixed acrylic paints used by the artist, Mode 2, who now lives in Paris, but who was born in Mauritius, will remain true to colour for the duration of the life of the work, while the design is unique to Omagh, its people and the surrounding countryside.
The guest of honour at the unveiling ceremony was Ms. Roisin McDonough, chief executive of the Arts Council of Northern Ireland, who spoke eloquently about the importance of art in the community and its relationship to life and culture.
Mr. Colm McGinn, proprietor of Jack McGinn's, also spoke on the importance of art in everyday life, and thanked those involved for their assistance in helping the project reach fruition so successfully.
He also paid tribute to those who had helped to stage the exhibition and who officiated at the buffet and wine reception.
Driving force
The driving force behind the mural, which was to mark the millennium, was Ms Briege McClean, of the Omagh Community Arts Initiative, who applied for funding, and who has worked tirelessly to ensure the success of the project.
Ms. McClean acted as MC for the unveiling, which began with a wine reception at McGinn's, and included an excellent buffet, including a whole decorated salmon, provided by the management and restaurant staff of The Sheelin, at Ballanaleck, Co. Fermanagh.
Initiated by the Omagh Community Arts Initiative, funding for the project was provided by The Northern Ireland Voluntary Trust and The Enkalon Foundation.
Mode's several visits to Omagh followed a series of workshops previously undertaken by local children, who put on paper their thoughts on their home town and their visions of what future development in the town would look like.
It was from sketches and in harmony with work at the Tara Centre that Mode went on to interpret what they were saying pictorially and develop the mural some aspects of which were similar in theme to ideas that were developing locally.
During the initial stages Mode sketched the preliminary piece in the Tara Centre, at Campsie Road in the town, and then this was transferred to the front of McGinn's furniture store, Dublin Road, where the colour was added and where the public had full view of the work in progress and who could come in and speak to the artist and make comments and suggestions, which could be woven into the overall fabric of what the artwork represented.
The mural is now fixed on the side entrance to the car park alongside McGinn's shop, so that pedestrians and motorists using Dublin Road will be able to enjoy its simplistic message and distinctly rural Irish colours and tones.
The evening was enhanced with the playing of a French national tune, 'La Bourn', by Gortaclare Pipe Band member, Steven Cochrane, who looked resplendent in his black and red tartan uniform.
The 15-year-old is a son of Norman and Victoria Cochrane, of Tircur Road, Lislap, and has been playing the pipes since he was eight. The band came fifth in the class for Grade 4A at the European Championships at the weekend - adding to the celebratory atmosphere in the Cochrane household.
Mrs. Cochrane, who also attended the unveiling, paid tribute to Mode, saying his mural was a beautiful addition to the Omagh urban landscape.
"Something like this would be lovely if a bit more of it was through the town maybe it will inspire others to do something else," she said.
Inside the venue a display of the initial sketches and how the idea developed were on display for guests, and included a video of the artist. Mode 2, working on the mural.
Each of the characters in the mural represent the letters PEACE, with a child carrying a balloon on which is the letter 'P', accompanied by its mother, a young boy carrying a box containing computer equipment, on which is the lower case letter 'e', an architect focusing on his plans for an 'A' shaped building, a businessman opening his briefcase and his paperwork blowing away in the wind forming the 'C, and, finally, two students carrying a table, with the table top and legs forming the capital letter 'E'.
According to Mode, each of the figures in the group is representative of Omagh, and other symbols are also contained in the mural which are particular to the town.
Stone bridge
One of the most obvious is the old stone bridge with its, over which the characters are walking.
Interestingly, the initial sketches were made on the day of the bombing in Omagh, in 1998, in one of many sketch books that Mode keeps close to hand, and while they have been refined somewhat, essentially they are very close to the original concept. This was long before Mode knew that he was the winner of the tender to create the piece of public art which is now on display at Dublin Road.
Other subtle touches include the wind turbines on Bessie Bell mountain to the left of the painting, and swallows darting through the air on the right-hand-side of the composition.
In the background are the familiar three arches of the Omagh skyline, and the 'Tyrone among the bushes' feel is captured in the amount of suggested foliage and trees which have been carefully woven into the masterpiece.
The combined effect is something which is uniquely Omagh-esque, and is one of only a very limited few such pieces ever to be placed on public display in Northern Ireland by Mode one of Europe's leading street scene mural painters.
In addition to his art work. Mode also gives lectures and is deeply committed to the history of the modern art form and its 'polities', working also on record sleeves graphics and commissions for that industry, as well as supporting the World's largest Breakdance competition, the Battle of the Year, in Germany, with heats taking place across 14 different countries.
Inspiration for his figures comes from his observations of people, and the photographs of people he takes while on the move between towns and cities, or while he is taking time out and is observing people as they get on with their lives and interact socially.
So, while his human subjects are both instantly recognisable as Mode's work, and highly stylised, they are also people taken from real life and transplanted into paintings at later dates.
A guestbook opened on the night of the launch, is available for viewers' comments until the end of July. Those wishing to record their thoughts on the artwork can do so by contacting McGinn's staff, who will direct them to the book and the accompanying exhibition.
Further Information
Publisher: TYRONE CONSTITUTION
Ref: TC/1065
Published Date: 27-Jun-02
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