Représenter les Troubles. Du spectacle médiatique au cauchemar historique

• Main Author: Brigitte Aubry
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Maison de la Recherche en Sciences Humaines 2015-10-01
• Series: Revue LISA
• Subjects: Northern Ireland; Donagh Rita; Hamilton Richard; 20th century; The Troubles; 21st century
• Online Access: http://journals.openedition.org/lisa/8801

The Troubles: a euphemism that designates the violent conflict which started in Londonderry on the 5th October 1968 and which ended with Good Friday Agreement signed on the 10th April 1998 in Belfast. Amongst the artists who sought to represent the events, two English painters stand out: Rita Donagh, who has been reflecting on the conflict since the 1970s, through the ideas of identity and territory, and Richard Hamilton, who himself created an ambitious trilogy through three major artworks – The citizen (1982-3), The subject (1988-90) and The state (1993). These two artists have challenged the uniformity of the representation of the events through the media. They are thus still participating in the making of history and help to keep alive the memories of this “everlasting war”.