Linenopolis added to EastSide Urban Gallery

Our latest piece of street art in east Belfast is now complete. Linenopolis was created and painted by street artists Nomad Clan who were commissioned on our behalf by Seedhead Arts. Nomad Clan, a duo from Manchester, worked in subzero conditions to install the street art and we are delighted with the results. 

The pocket park at Tower Street/ Newtownards Road was developed in 2011 to replace a derelict site and included the installation of linen themed artwork (which has since fallen down) and heritage signage relating to the linen industry and mills locally. It was important that Nomad Clan incorporated the linen heritage theme in their design. Here is how they describe their design:

‘We chose to portray a modern woman resembling a female flax gatherer from a bygone era, as this year is the 'year of the woman' we thought it would be nice to use a female centre piece.

There is a whirl of light and flax flowers circling around her symbolising the energy and life that the flax industry sustained, one of the city’s main backbones. We wanted to produce something with an air of wonderment and nostalgia but also display how its still relevant to modern day life. We read a myth that until the 19th century Irish farmers told the story of flax and flax management being introduced by the dwellers of the Shahbna mountain and this inspired us to give the art a dreamy/ other worldly feel.’

The installation of this mural is part of the EastSIde Urban Gallery project which aims to add to the existing public and mural art in east Belfast. We want to impove the environment for residents and visitors through arts & creativity and enable cultural identity to be represented through modern street art.

This is one of three murals being installed as part of the Urban Gallery project. Another mural will be installed at Townsley Street (overlooking C.S. Lewis Square) and the existing Pansy Street 'Narnia' mural will be refurbished

The EastSide Urban Gallery project is funded by the Urban Villages Initiative. The Urban Villages Initiative is a key action within the Northern Ireland Executive’s ‘Together: Building a United Community’ Strategy. It is designed to improve good relations outcomes and to help develop thriving places where there has previously been a history of deprivation and community tension.