The Bogside Artists Help Willy The Wizard

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Released on: November 15, 2011, 2:27 am
Author: Trevor Philips
Industry: Entertainment

The Bogside Artists have announced that they have given important evidence and statements to the estate of Adrian Jacobs who are currently embroiled in a legal suit against J.K. Rowling. Speaking for the group, Tom Kelly said: "We are absolutely staggered by what has been done to these people in order to stifle their lawful case. Rowling's lawyers Schillings have gagged Britain's media in an effort to ensure that no newspaper anywhere gives credence or exposure to this case, the fourth largest case of its kind in history. They gagged a couple of newspapers in the South of Ireland too that attempted to cover our side of the affair and one in Derry, the Derry News. Anybody who wants proof of that has only to contact us."

Meanwhile, Adrian Jacobs’s lawyers await the outcome of their appeal in England's High Court. J.K. Rowling, one of the richest women in the world, is demanding £2 million from the litigants in costs thanks to exorbitant fees and deliberate shilly-shallying by their legal advisors. She is also demanding private information about who has been funding their case so they can put a stop to any future support they depend on. Rowling herself is in breach of a court order to produce early notebooks proving her claim to original creation. It is not known if they even exist; but no action so far has been brought against her for failure to present them. The Willy the Wizard team, on the other hand, are facing ruination, like many who have gone before.

Tom Kelly said: "Whatever this is, justice it is not. The Bogside Artists have no vested interest in the case other than to see that it gets a fair hearing because we see a great principle at stake here - the principle of an artist's right to his or her own creative work. This issue we have addressed in our blog; travelswithlipo.com/blog. We would sincerely hope anybody who fears for justice and democracy will read it. And we would urge anybody who cares for their rights to rally to the cause of the family of Adrian Jacobs' struggle against Rowling. The ongoing drive by her and her team to annihilate any, and every, opposition to her in court and out of it is a fact that is common knowledge to us all of us who live in the UK. Rowling's avowed goal is clearly to make sure that any evidence the Jacobs team have against her never sees the light of day. We, at any rate, know what some of that evidence is and we would say that people everywhere have a right also to know what it is. Her relentless determination to stifle criticism of her bespeaks a level of press tyranny worthy of any dictator. The British journos who have allowed themselves to be gagged in this fashion really should make an effort to recall the dutiful care to tell people the truth that is the basis of their profession."

The Bogside Artists, creators of The People's Gallery that is visited by many thousands of people each year from all over the world, had to give up their studio recently in The Bogside. The gallery of famous murals painted over a more than a decade portrays the worst episodes of thirty years of civil conflict in the province. "Governmental arts funding bodies such as the Arts Council of N.Ireland simply refused to help us", said Tom Kelly.

The artists believe that this lack of response could well be related to their public support of the case against Rowling. It is certain that many in the British establishment who have financial reasons for keeping their literary icon J.K. Rowling intact and inviolable would certainly not be happy to see any such universally respected people like The Bogside Artists giving open support to those who seek to topple her. Neither would her global fan base.

The Bogside Artists travel to America in the New Year to begin a series of murals. Then it is back to Europe to paint yet more murals for the Art of Reconciliation program begun in Austria by Desmond Doyle and his colleague Hannes Missethon. The program is sponsored by Nobel Laureate John Hume, a very good friend and long-time supporter of the artists.