Urban Intervention

Curated by Mirjami Schuppert

Urban Intervention by Mirjami Schuppert deployed strategies similar to the ones used on the “TBC” tag campaign associated with the Cathedral Quarter redevelopment plans. The campaign aroused social media fury and inspired creative engagement with Belfast city centre by local arts organisations.

Historical news and media imagery from the UTV Archive, printed onto posters and scattered around the Cathedral Quarter, were brought into the present day to coexist with contemporary life. Alongside printed material, selected UTV archive footage entered into the commercial and not for profit spaces in the area. Roaming TV monitors were hosted by local shops, cafes and organisation, creating chance encounters with the old films, displaying longer glimpses of the programmes used as source material for the posters.  

The presence of various temporalities in the streets of the city highlights the difference that time and perspective can make; what once was taken as true, through the passing of time may be revealed to be lies.

Urban Intervention took place as part of Belfast Photo Festival 2019. 

The television locations were: Windsor Photoprints (17 North Street), Belfast Exposed (23 Donegall Street), the Black Box (18-22 Hill Street). A Sailor’s Grave, (139 Royal Ave) PS2, (71 Royal Avenue),  Established Coffee (54 Hill Street), The MAC (10 Exchange Street West), PLACE (7-9 Lower Garfield Street) and Tivoli Barber Shop (15 North Street). The full versions of the original archive footage that appeared throughout the festival is brought together in this special online collection.

This project was part of the PRONI, Northern Ireland Screen and ITV partnership project that is preserving the UTV Archive for future generations.