ARAFATS TOMB
Photograph taken whilst I was travelling through the West Bank.
This is an image of a Palestinian Security Force soldier on guard at the temporary resting place of Yasser Arafat. The soldier is armed with a rifle. The AK-47 itself is a powerful symbol and the choice of gun for many revolutionaries worldwide.
The artwork borders the realm of photography and printmaking; the image is printed from 4 separate aluminium plates utilising a process originally created for the production of electronic circuit boards! Each plate is inked up in its corresponding trichromatic oil-based colours to create a full colour photographic archival image. The work is political, documentary art and technical in its creation.
Declan Byrne is a practicing artist primarily specialising in printmaking. Main themes revolve around surveillance culture, history and observation. He is based at his studio in Seacourt Print Workshop in Bangor.