Don’t worry, this Repeal the 8th mural won’t get taken down because no planning permission is needed

The Repeal the 8th mural commissioned by The Hunreal Issues created by Maser Art on the wall of the Project Arts Centre was removed due to complaints received by Dublin City Council (DCC) which caused DCC to cite a lack of planning permission as the motivator for issuing the order to remove the mural.

Now, an artist in Wicklow has recreated the mural with a graffiti twist. The Wicklow artist Dara Kenny has taken the Repeal the 8th mural idea and put his own twist on it.

The new Repeal mural is located on a designated graffiti wall in Arklow, Co. Wicklow, so it doesn’t need planning permission to be there.

One of me best mates painted this down in Arklow. Legal wall, no permission needed. #repealthe8th pic.twitter.com/zQsO8T0VyL

— Mick (@bassmastashadez) July 27, 2016

Bodily Autonomy For All

The mural builds on Maser’s artwork, adding the phrase “Bodily Autonomy For  All” beneath the heart.

Dara explained the rationale behind his work: “Maser’s mural shows how powerful a symbol can be but it’s important that artists continue to create pieces that directly address issues, to flood social media, open the general public’s eyes and put pressure on those who can pass the bill.”

If someone tries to remove or graffiti over it, Dara said “I’ll just paint a bigger one, that’s the joys of graffiti”.

The Power Of Art

Cian O’Brien, the Director of Project Arts Centre spoke about the power of art to engage people with controversial issues.

“I suppose what [the complaints to DCC tell] me is this issue of the Repeal of the Eight Amendment is incredibly divisive is incredibly difficult and the campaign to Repeal the Eight Amendment is going to have a battle on it’s hands,” O’Brien said.

Cian believes that “Art can be political, art isn’t entertainment,” and that by supporting such art, they’re pushing boundaries.

Do Your Bit

While Maser’s logo was removed, the artwork itself is publicly available on The HunReal Issues website for people wanting to recreate it so they can spread the message and show their support.

Printouts of the famous artwork have made their way into the window above Zaytoon, around the corner from Project Arts Centre in Temple Bar.

#repealthe8th isn't going away. Great to see these glorious hearts around town. ❤️ pic.twitter.com/mbMau1rgAK

— Lisa Connell (@Lisadonegal) July 28, 2016

You can also support the cause here by purchasing Repeal the 8th T-shirts and badges, or by applying this Twibbon to your Facebook profile picture.

(Images: Instagram, Twitter)