Papua New Guinea Native - Manchester, UK
Posted by: 
dtrebilc
N 53° 29.021 W 002° 14.002
30U E 550872 N 5926352
This face of a Papua New Guinea Native was painted as part of the Cities of Hope Festival in 2016.
Waymark Code: WMZK9C
Location: North West England, United Kingdom
Date Posted: 11/23/2018
Views: 1
Manchester was one of the first industrial cities in the industrial revolution. When industry declined in the later part of the 20th century this area of the city became run down. It has since become an area of regeneration and developed as a bohemian area with many bars and restaurants with many offering live bands.
As part of the regeneration, many street artists had created murals and graffiti especially on gable ends of buildings.
In 2016 many artists came to the area as part of the Cities of Hope festival and created many more murals. The festival sought to transform an area of the city by creating art which would focus on some key global issues.
The artists were then asked to create murals which were inspired by those issues which ranged from environmental issues to world conflict and the tragedy of child soldiers.
This particular mural was painted by Dale Grimshaw. It use the whole of one end of a building and shows the face of a native from Papua New Guinea.
"Dale Grimshaw is a painter and street artist originally from Lancashire and now based London.
After an extensive gallery career Dale has recently been devoting time to street murals and has been widely recognised as one of the most powerful and talented of street artists on that scene. Over the past five years he has been invited to festivals nationally and internationally as well as painting many iconic walls across London and numerous other cities across the globe.
Dales latest paintings are of threatened indigenous people – mostly from West Papua New Guinea. These figures often collide on a backdrop of familiar symbols and signs of the western world – producing a visual jarring effect that emphasises our difference and their struggle.
His work is boldly figurative and inspired by his strongly held humanitarian beliefs. Lately Dale has become involved with the political struggle to free West Papua from Indonesian occupation.This bitter and hard fought struggle is rarely reported in the West and through his work, Dale has been supporting Benny Wenda, the campaigns leader and long term champion, in raising awareness in the UK."
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