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Belfast Live
Belfast Live
National
Shaun Keenan

Derry artist tells of inspiration behind new mural

A stunning new mural has been unveiled on the side of a popular community hub in the heart of Derry.

The huge display was unveiled as part of the 30th anniversary of Gasyard Féile as part of their ongoing Graffiti on the Walls project across the city.

Local artist Razer, who also had a role in the John Hume Mural in Great James Street, created his latest piece titled 'Baby Jake' behind the Gasyard.

Read more: New Derry housing estate as seen from the sky in latest video

The project was inspired by the concept, 'Every child needs someone to look up to' under the Communities in Transition Project supported by the Executive Office.

Razer, who works as a youth worker, told MyDerry how the mural was a portrait piece of his own nephew. He said: "This wasn't a traditional mural. The future generation now are up and coming and we wanted to do something around that.

"Every child needs someone to look up to and this is the concept behind this idea. It's a portrait of my nephew, Jake. I needed a portrait from a member of the local community and when I saw the photograph of him looking him I thought it was the perfect reference that I could use.

"The whole point of him looking up was the idea that he was looking up to the older generation for the support that he and other children need when they're growing up and the message to the adults is that we need to be there for them when they need us."

Razer continued: "Where I work in the Brandywell, it's actually ranked fifth as the most deprived areas in Northern Ireland, according to a NISRA report.

"I've worked there now all of my life basically but with the youth work I've been dedicated to that area for the last eight years. Young people need our support, especially with the number of mental health issues that are cropping up in the city.

"More people die now by suicide than there were that died during the full Northern Ireland conflict and that's something that should be alarming and that's why we need to be there when people ask for help."

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