Neil Shawcross - 'Writers of Belfast'

About Neil Shawcross

A lecturer in fine art at the University of Ulster until his retirement, Neil Shawcross is a member of both the Royal Ulster Academy and Royal Hibernian Academy. In 2014, he received an MBE for his services to the arts in Northern Ireland. Shawcross has gifted the ‘Writers of Belfast’ complete collection to Belfast City Council, in appreciation for what he feels the city and its people have given him over more than 50 years.

Writers of Belfast was developed and nurtured over three years and was inspired by Shawcross’s well-known paintings of Penguin book covers. The creative impact and range of the exhibition is evident in the scale of the paintings. These 7 foot high canvases pay homage to an eclectic group of remarkable writers. Working from research garnered from hundreds of book covers, programmes and albums, Shawcross selected a single image for each writer.

The result is more than just a collection of striking and distinctive paintings. This exhibition reflects much of the city’s outstanding cultural history. The Council is exploring a permanent and appropriate home for the collection.

Sea Holly is delighted that Belfast City Council have chosen to exhibit these Shawcross works here and is grateful for their support in facilitating this exciting and important exhibition.