Humble Abode

Belonging to my '(Host)ile' project

Mid-13c., "action of waiting," verbal noun from abiden "to abide".

The use of cardboard here is from having seen so many rough sleepers using cardboard as practically their bed sheets, beds and, technically, houses. I felt the need to show the differentiation of a seemingly playful material with the seriousness of those who use it as a last resort. I liked the idea of having a playfully painted exterior but built as a prison against the scored interior with the idea that children were desperately counting down the days to leave their accommodation in the same vain as inmates.

Many asylum seekers living in hostels, budget hotels, and recently barges have reported how their living conditions have made them feel as if they’re in prison, not least because of mould, lack of food, 24 hour surveillance, and due to being unable to work or leave their facility because of government restrictions.

Some people live in these conditions for up to 2 years, and in that time hundreds of children commonly go missing. There is a stark contrast when one compares this to the Ukraine Sponsorship Scheme.

Using a children’s playhouse, this piece touches on the idea that having somewhere to live doesn’t necessarily mean that people are living a safe or stable existence or are stable within themselves: “You never know what goes on behind closed doors”.