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IRISH STREET ARTIST Joe Caslin has unveiled his latest mural, SEEN, on Townsend Street in Dublin city today.
Caslin is best known for his large-scale murals that originate from his own pencil drawings. Among his most notable works is The Claddagh Embrace, a piece depicting two men embracing during the #YesEquality campaign.
It appeared on the side of the then-Rick’s Burgers building on Dame Street ahead of Ireland’s marriage referendum in 2015.
SEEN is Caslin’s latest public artwork, which he created in collaboration with 12 members of the Irish Red Cross Ukrainian Community Centre.
The 50-foot installation depicts a young trans man being pierced by arrows to symbolise “harm inflicted by external forces”, while his gaze and upright stance represent “resilience and survival”.
Speaking to The Journal on Thursday, Caslin said it was especially important for him to research and create “an artwork that represented what it means to be a young trans man”.
The project spanned over one year and involved a series of workshops and design sessions with Ukrainian refugees who are members of the LGBTQ+ community. The resulting artwork is an exploration of their perspectives – along with the themes of identity, belonging, displacement and visibility.
“SEEN is about visibility,” the Roscommon artist said ahead of today’s unveiling.
“Not visibility as spectacle, but visibility as recognition – the simple act of acknowledging that someone is there, that their story matters, and that they belong.”
One participant said the project provided an opportunity to explore their identity through street art. They said contributing to the mural helped build “a strong sense of connection with one another” while also offering them insight into the history of Ireland’s LGBTQ+ community.
Speaking about the ties between SEEN and his previous work, Caslin said that more than a decade after The Claddagh Embrace and Ireland’s marriage equality referendum, he hopes this new piece can create a similar space for conversation as a means of bringing people together.
Caslin is encouraging people to come and see the installation over Pride weekend: “If they can, to come experience it, to stand in front of it, bring their trans mates with them and to stand in solidarity with trans members of our community.”
The mural was unveiled today and is now on display at 180 – 182 Townsend Street, which is a short walk from College Green and Tara Street station.
You can view more of Joe Caslin’s work here.