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Artist 'humiliated' after giant mural unveiling cancelled

Laura Trueman
BBC News NI
Dillon Osborne A large black banner with a pink question mark hangs in front of large windoes. Around it are metal support beams. Dillon Osborne
The mural remains covered almost a month after its installation

An artist has said he feels "humiliated" after the unveiling of his latest project in Belfast's Grand Central Station was postponed indefinitely.

The mural of a local celebrity, thought by sources to be the musician Van Morrison, remains covered at the station almost a month after its installation.

Johnny Hamilton was commissioned to create the portrait, tied to a high-profile product launch.

Translink, which operates the station, said it only facilitated the space and further questions should be directed to the artist and company which commissioned the work.

BBC News NI contacted the company representing the celebrity.

Exile Productions, who it's believed also commissioned the painting, did not provide a response.

Dillon Osborne The back of a man with shoulder length black hair, wearing a black top and a black baseball hat, worn backwards with pink writing saying Jossiepops on it. He appears to be looking a painting, covered in a black covering with a pink question mark on it.Dillon Osborne
Johnny Hamilton, who works under the alias Jossiepops, had more than 200,000 views on social media posts teasing followers about who he might be painting.

The painting is still positioned at the station but is covered by a large pink question mark painted onto a black background.

Writing on his website, Mr Hamilton, who works under the alias Jossiepops said: "This is not only disappointing, it's humiliating."

The BBC had been in contact with the artist with a plan to film the unveiling of the 5m x 2m portrait last month.

Mr Hamilton had been teasing followers on social media about who he might be painting.

Public anticipation was evident from the more than 200,000 views he has had across his social media platforms.

But it soon became evident that things were not going to plan.

The inside of Grand Central station. You can see ticket machines in front large glass windows that go from floor to ceiling. Hanging in the middle of one set of windows is the painting, covered in black with a pink question mark.
The artwork hangs near an entrance to Grand Central Station

The painting itself took two months of preparation, involved more than 15 tins of paint and was altered twice from its original design.

Everything was filmed; from the actual painting, to its framing and then installation in Belfast's Grand Central Station.

The painting itself took six people to move comfortably due to its scale.

Mr Hamilton said part of his brief was that the piece had to be movable and Translink agreed to facilitate it.

But then he was told that the unveiling, set for the early hours of 10 June, was not going ahead.

He said he was unsure if it would ever be made public.

"The piece now hangs in public, covered, with my name attached, yet the project was suddenly pulled the night before launch, without credit or explanation," Johnny told BBC News NI.

"I was paid, but what was promised went far beyond money. This was about creative contribution, visibility, and public trust.

"I want people to know this wasn't my doing. I stand by the work and hope it's eventually shown as intended."

Mr Hamilton has been unable to disclose the identity of the celebrity behind the question mark due to a non-disclosure agreement.