Signed on a label affixed to the reverse.

Cibachrome on aluminium.

Framed dimensions: 134.6 by 190.5 cm.

Executed in 1995, this work is number 1 from an edition of 3.

The landscapes that I
photograph are often inscribed by events of the past, terrains where the forces
of history and politics collide. These are not neutral spaces, they remain
highly contested and retain the power to amplify our fears, and anxieties, and
to shape our hopes, and aspirations. My practice is committed to evolving a
language to address these complex issues, to synthesise the documentary effect
of the photographic image with the uncertainty of fiction. I’m still
discovering in my video and photographic works what the potential of this blend
of actuality, reportage, narrative, and performance might be. Dreams of the
past and of the future. Willie Doherty

Another print of this work is in the collection of the Imperial War Museum, London. Their cataloguing records the following:

"Throughout his career Willie Doherty has explored the portrayal of his native Northern Ireland in the media and in broader visual culture. In doing this he also raises questions about the manipulative power of photography. 'Unapproved Road' shows a makeshift roadblock, seemingly harmless at first glance. But once we know that this a border road in rural Northern Ireland, the scene takes on a broader, darker significance. The photograph has a staged quality, calling into question our perception of the image. The position of the cement blocks suggests an impact, perhaps an indication of a violent past event. They are also interventions in the landscape, blocking the route and reminding us of the significance of land and territory in the conflict in Northern Ireland."



British Photography. The Hyman Collection