The ‘Traveller signs’, across from Maureen’s shop in Stoneybatter, Dublin 7, explained.
They were created by Japanese artist Shota Kotake, who moved to Dublin in 2004.
Writing for the On The Batter blog, Shota explains:
“A few months ago, my bike was stolen from our back yard and, a few weeks later, my good sports jacket. It was all caused by having no proper prevention on our wall facing Manor Place.
“As Maureen sometimes told us, some people climb up and look inside to see if there are any valuables to steal. We discussed about having broken glass, but that’s illegal to do. We also thought about spreading grease, but then stray cats can’t come into our back yard anymore, so we had no good idea about it. Then I suddenly came up with this idea of having some sort of art work. It could be replicating a Super Mario stage or something like that, but I came up with having Travellers on it and making them say something.”
…
“It was a huge sensation when the video of Davy Joyce replying to Simon O’Donnell came out on YouTube. All the lads in college were talking about it and that was the first time I discovered these Travellers and bareknuckle boxing culture. Everyone thought it funny that these big muscly lads were ranting on each other through the video and they send it to each other to organise a fight. Also, the words they used in the video were funny as well. I found it funny as well, but I found it more like I found a true Irishness in them. They never accept their defeat, they use a lot of unique words to describe something which can be described in a few words like “Here, I want to fight with you on this date, this place”, rather than shouting at each other how they are shit and all. I guess such garrulity is something that only Irish people can have. Moreover, these boxers have unique characters themselves.”
“A Japanese art group from the 1950s called GUTAI is one of the only such groups that became well-known overseas. And the reason they were huge is because they do stupid and meaningless things very seriously. I find Travellers kind of the same. They are doing something that looks stupid to people outside their community and culture, but they’re doing it really seriously. That’s why I love them and respect them.”
Previously: Meanwhile, In Stoneybatter
The story behind Stoneybatter’s latest street art (On The Batter)
He should live with them for a while and maybe then he’ll have the license to make art like about them.
Ah here, that’s a bit much now. He’s being genuine.
Is it only travellers that your judgement applies to?
Like could he make art about Vikings without having to go back in time and live amongst the Vikings?
Just Travelers and strangely enough, Vikings. How weird is that.
Yeah, the Vikings have been getting bad press for a while now…
I bet these are stolen already, and will appear on youtube inviting John Joe “JUNKIES BAHSTARD YA” Nevin out for a fight!
A-bye shit-in-de-bucket
True Irishness!!
Nice idea, but showing love/respect for adult overweight semi-naked men threatening each other on the internet and labelling it “culture”?… I don’t buy that, sorry.
Adorno sez; ‘culture is normal’.
Dropping knowledge yo!
I agree, sort of.
But like, Culture isn’t really a moral thing. You don’t get to decide what is part of a culture because you like it or not.
Travellers have a bare-knuckle boxing culture. Many of them consider it part of their identity. Your approval is kind of irrelevant.
The point was in relation to whether their “culture” should be loved and respected, and it becomes very relevant when they stand behind their “culture” whilst flogging horses and running them on tarmac, that’s cruelty not culture and I don’t love or respect that.
They are really no different to you or anyone else, it’s just a card they play to excuse their often lawless choice of life.
It is one aspect of their culture that is highly exaggerated. There are plenty of other aspects of traveller culture such as music, language and traditional crafts that don’t get the same airtime because its not as tabloid worthy.
Is it not that there are good ones and bad ones, the same as any other sector of society?
There are good families and “bad” families, and good ones in bad families … by “bad”, I mean the ones that steal your stuff, burn your car out in the driveway, let their little yappy dogs run wild all over the road and threaten to kill you if one goes under the wheel of the car , sell drugs, shoot people, beat their wives …
@emzo: I think the difference is that the people you are talking about don’t defend it as being their entitlement under their culture, or have the entire family wrapped up in whatever they are doing. eg. I know of many cases where a load of caravans would park up on a business premises overnight and demand money to move on. Not just one or two bad lads, an entire family.
I love this
I probably wouldn’t be asking Maureen for advice on, well, anything. A woman out of time, she would be better suited to the pages of a Dickens novel.
she’s pretty terrifying, to be honest
Not really. She’d make Apu himself balk at some of her pricing.
Many a painfully hungover morning I protected my Maureen’s purchased club orange on the basis that it cost more than it’s weight in gold.
Go to reddit.comr/ireland/comments/1pp4ve/big_joe_davy_joyce_street_signs/ where they have higher quality and brighter versions of the signs.
Good laugh!
Link fixed: http://www.reddit.com/r/ireland/comments/1pp4ve/big_joe_davy_joyce_street_signs/
I think it’s genius.
I think it’s funny too :) The guy in the middle looks like a baboon!
That’s Big Joe- the boss of all men!
and actually quite a good likeness if you see his photos…
Preferred it without the explanation
To be honest, if I was a student I’d steal them for me gaff