The Son of Protagoras
5
27-29 Gordon St, Belfast BT1 2LG, United Kingdom
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Description
The Son of Protagoras is an impressive mural created by French graffiti artist MTO, located in the courtyard of the Northern Ireland War Memorial in Belfast.
This powerful piece of street art depicts a grim figure holding a dead dove pierced by two arrows - symbolizing the conflict between Irish Catholics and Protestant Unionists.
The figure's angry gaze is directed toward St. Anne's Cathedral, which adds philosophical and historical depth to the mural. The title refers to an ancient Greek philosopher known for his relativistic views, making this work a fascinating point of reflection on wisdom and destruction.
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★5
Bruce K.10 months agoSometimes, I understand the artist's statement and sometimes I do not. I didn't then but I do now and I can appreciate the story being told with this one image.
Titled "The Son of Protagoras" it is a reference to the agnostic Greek philosopher Protagoras c. 490 BC – c. 420 BC), a pre-Socratic theorist. Protagoras is believed to have created a major controversy during ancient times through his statement that "Of all things the measure is Man, of the things that are, that they are, and of the things that are not, that they are not" which has been interpreted that there is no objective truth, i.e., when a person makes a judgment about a certain thing—good, bad, beautiful, or unjust—that person will differ from other people's judgments because their experience has been different.
After understanding that there is still a significant divide between the Protestant and Catholic communities in Northern Ireland, French artist MTO produced this mural in 2014. The boy represents the offspring of peace, and the arrows that killed the dove symbolize the two opposing religions.Where are we?
27-29 Gordon St, Belfast BT1 2LG, United Kingdom
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