Having studied portraiture over the past two years I have concentrated in portraying people in an accurate and realistic style. I feel that sometimes I have been overly concerned with technique at the expense of subject matter. I feel that now is the time to bring in the social issues I am concerned with into my work and use art as a vessel to spread awareness of homelessness and the truth of its causes.
Homelessness is about more than rooflessness. A home is not just a physical space, it also has a legal and social dimension. A home provides roots, identity, a sense of belonging and a place of emotional wellbeing. Homelessness is about the loss of all of these. It is an isolating and destructive experience and homeless people are some of the most vulnerable and socially excluded in our society. (Crises: The National Charity for Single Homeless People, 2014)
For more info: http://www.crisis.org.uk/
Even though there are genuine reasons and many forms of homelessness, negative attitudes from the public still exist towards homeless people. According to St Mungo’s
People spoke about harsh public responses to them – respondents used phrases such as “I’m alright Jack – f**k you”, “mental health rubbish”, “unseen, invisible”, ” judged”, told to “get a job”, “second class” and “vermin”. (St. Mungos, 2014)
For more info: http://www.mungos.org/
With my work I hope to dispel some of these stereotypes, not all people in a homeless situation conform to these views. There are intelligent, capable and presentable people who for various reasons find themselves isolated, rootless and without a home.
The vision is to produce a series of realist portraits for exhibition challenging the viewer’s preconceptions of a homeless person. I want the viewer to feel that they can no longer avoid the issue. There is no ‘other side of the street to walk to’.
The people, the subject matter and the issues are the driving force behind this project.
To date I have been in contact with three different agencies that support people in difficult circumstances.
The Ipswich Soup Kitchen
The Colchester Night Shelter
The Ipswich Homeless Transition Project.
I aim to collaborate with these agencies and also work independently to gain a deeper insight, greater knowledge and better understanding into the dynamics, causes and repercussions of homelessness.
References
Crises: The National Charity for Single Homeless People, 2014. Available at: http://www.crisis.org.uk/pages/-about-homelessness-61900.html. [22 January 2014]
St. Mungos: Rebuilding Lives, day by day, 2014. Available at: http://www.mungos.org/homelessness/street_stories/… . [22 January 2014]
