BELFAST artist Raymond Watson's latest artwork, a mixture of bronze and wooden sculptures, is showcased at Duncairn Arts Centre in the north of the city in an exhibition called The Mystery of the Broighter Boat.
The work takes inspiration from the Broighter hoard, gold artefacts dating from the first century BC found in 1896 on farmland near Limavady and now housed in the National Museum of Ireland. The find included a beautiful model boat, made of gold, complete with miniature mast, seats, oars and rudder; a small bowl of beaten gold; two torcs; and a collar embossed with early Celtic decorations.
Watson, who now lives in Cushendall, is a former republican prisoner and blanket protester. After his release from the Maze in 1985 he completed a degree and a master’s degree in media studies and decided to take up art as a full-time occupation.
"It is fantastic to have the opportunity to explore themes and artefacts of the Broighter story and its mythology," he says.
:: Until August 28 (theduncairn.com).
