The brutalisation of civil society in Belfast during decades of political unrest is the focus of much of Paul Seawright’s photographic work. The thoughtful and disquieting images which he produces probe beyond stereotypical images of conflict, in a way that is exploratory rather than merely documentary. The camera is used as an investigative tool rather than one to describe and record an event.
The cages in ‘Cage I’ and ‘Cage II’ act as defence agents but also serve to isolate those they are designed to protect. Seawright is deeply conscious of the negative effects of actions that are intended to be positive. he is also keenly aware of the ambiguity of the photographic image and the ways in which it can be used.