Belfast Exposed

Exhibitions

6th Apr - 22nd Apr

A door, a picture frame and the number 52

Built on four years of work with Belfast Exposed, Paul McCabe brings A door, a picture frame and the number 52 to the Studio...

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8th Mar - 15th Mar

OVER THE WALL PHOTOGRAPHY PROJECT with Féile an Phobail

Belfast Exposed is delighted to be hosting an exhibition of work in our Studio Gallery produced by the Over The Wall Photogra...

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Community

24th May - 25th May

Belfast Exposed Photography Academy Showcase 2022

Belfast Exposed is proud to present The Belfast Exposed Photography Academy Showcase 2022, an exhibition featuring work from ...

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14th Oct - 25th Nov

Looking Through Our Eyes

Belfast Exposed present a photographic exhibition exploring the theme of portraits by a group of individuals who have an acqu...

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Off the Rails

Gallery 2

6th Sep 2019 to 5th Oct 2019

About The Exhibition

'Off the Rails' exhibition is a community focused response by young people from Dunmurry, Twinbrook, Finaghy and Polegalss which explores the historical nature of the Peace Walls and Peace Lines in the run up to the 50th Anniversary since the first peace wall was erected in Belfast. This project sought to highlight that not all peace lines are perhaps as obvious to those living outside an area.

Overseen by Belfast Exposed Community Engagement Manager Mervyn Smyth, the project was designed to reflect on their experiences of living within the confines of their community in cross-community estates, based at the peace lines in Dunmurry, which is the level crossing on Glebe Road. This has been a gathering point for young people, which impacted the village area through anti-social behaviour. Thanks to the intervention of the project, this issue has now somewhat dissipated, enabling the young people to show this peace line and the dangers of the level crossing as a gathering point.

Supported by Curator Jane Butler the young people co-curated the exhibition utilising photography to explore their fears and aspirations for theirs and their community’s future:

"‘Off the Rails’ is a unique glimpse into the personal stories of the young people of this area within Dunmurry. It brings to life their experience of what it is to live on a peace line in 2019, by giving them a voice behind their images. The work chosen is an attempt to allow them to present a more considered side to their relationship with this area. There is a sense of inaction and tranquillity in the work, which is contrary to the common conventions associated with young people that socialise on the streets. Through an exploration of place, colour and time, the young people take us on a journey through their daydreams. They look inward at their fears, outward to their aspirations; with the knowledge that this won't always be the view."

- Jane Butler (Curator)

This work is complimented by Gallery 1 exhibition, Frankie Quinn’s ‘Cordon Sanitaire’ which presents his latest work on Peace Walls.  Both exhibitions run from 6th September to 5th October 2019.

The Artists

Young People from Dunmurry, Twinbrook, Finaghy & Poleglass

Events

Exhibition Preview

Thursday 5 September | 6-9pm | Belfast Exposed

Free Admission

Acknowledgements

Off the Rails at Belfast Exposed is generously supported by the Arts Council of Northern Ireland, Belfast City Council, Northern Ireland Housing Executive, National Lottery Heritage Fund, Community Foundation for Northern Ireland, and Community Relations Council.