Keele Research Repository

This thesis examines the roles of visual imagery in relation to Northern Ireland's present troubles. It surveys fine art and popular imagery employed in Northern Ireland with relevant material from England and the Irish Republic. The theoretical approach is established in Chapter 1. Three main defects in existing presentations and analyses of troubles imagery are outlined: the separation of such imagery into unrelated categories of fine arts, popular culture and mass media; their treatment as disembodied art-works, related only to art world traditions, or as mere reflections of social, economic and political forces; and their location within immediate contexts, with no sense of their historical evolution. It is therefore proposed to treat the different troubles images as interrelated parts of visual languages, which are themselves in dialogue; to see such images and languages as factors interrelating with economic, social and political forces; and to locate them adequately within evolving traditions. This approach is related to similar recent work by art-historians, sociologists and anthropologists, and then tested in six paired chapters, handling chief types of troubles imagery. The first two chapters discuss William III and Mother Ireland emblems. They analyse roles of identity figures, genesis and function of visual mythology, and interrelationships of fine art and popular imagery. The next pair examine Orange and Green imagery. They discuss function of rituals and symbolism, development and roles of visual styles and general problems and possibilities of analysing popular imagery. The third pair analyse fine art and political propaganda. They examine evolution and roles of visual conventions and their relation to political, social and economic forces via art-world structures. A brief conclusion summarises problems and advantages of the approach adopted.