Artist makes appeal for the return of giant street canvas

A Galway artist has appealed for the return of a huge canvas painting that was mysteriously removed from the front of a vacant city centre shop where it was mounted last month.

The work depicted a 19th century cottage eviction scene – with a twist. In the bottom right corner where the artist’s name would normally appear were the logos of several Irish banks.

“It was my way of highlighting the fact that while it may be a century and a half later, Irish people are still being evicted from their homes, only this time by the banks,” said city native Therese Burns.

The huge canvas – measuring about 16-17 feet wide and 9 feet high – was mounted on the front of the vacant former Taaffes shop on William Street last month, during the Galway Arts Festival, though it had no connection with the festival.

However, less than a week later, it had disappeared, and despite making numerous enquiries, the artist has not been able to track it down or even discover who removed it.

“It is a black and white painting on canvas of an eviction, it’s kind of an iconic image that we had in our history books growing up, where you had the landlord on the horse, the family being forced out and all the rest.

“I just wanted to make a statement because I just think it’s horrendous what’s going on today with the banks, repossessing people’s houses.

“So I didn’t sign it, but I put the bank logos in colour where you would put an artist’s signature,” she said.

A short clip of the painting in place was put up on Youtube under the title ‘Galway evictions – only the landlords have changed’.

Ms Burns learned from a person working in a shop nearby that two men in high-vis jackets had been seen removing the work, less than a week after it had been erected.

She has been in contact with Galway City Council and the Gardaí and others in a bid to find who took the painting, but none of them were involved.

“It’s a complete mystery,” she said.

Now, Ms Burns is appealing to anyone who can help her retrieve the painting to contact her on 085-1001836.