Belfast [first version] c. 1973 - 1974

Editor: Michael Rothenstein's "Belfast [first version]" is a powerful image; the repetition of guns along the borders immediately suggests violence. What historical context informs your interpretation of this piece? Curator: Given the title, it's hard to ignore the Troubles in Northern Ireland. Rothenstein seems to be commenting on the normalization of violence and the pervasiveness of weaponry in that conflict. Editor: The figures in the center panels, especially the one pointing a gun, feel intensely personal amidst the rows of weapons. Curator: Absolutely. The central figures humanize the conflict, reminding us of the individuals caught in this cycle of violence, forced into particular roles by political circumstances. How does the balloon figure into this? Editor: It’s an unexpected, almost surreal element that could symbolize lost innocence or a fragile hope amidst the turmoil. It has definitely given me a new perspective on the artwork. Curator: Seeing the Troubles as a complex web of individual stories and lost opportunities can help deconstruct harmful stereotypes.