Home
Homelessness is a human tragedy that long predates the COVID-19 pandemic. But as “shelter in place” and “work from home” became ubiquitous phrases, they further highlighted the divide between those who have a safe home and those who do not. Despite the temporary eviction moratorium, the pandemic’s disruptions led to a 15% rise in homelessness in California, and congregate shelters became places of increased peril while vaccines were being developed. We were all at-risk and scared when the pandemic began, making it easier than ever not to look directly at the reality of so many people living without meaningful shelter.
Although the pandemic has abated, the suffering continues. Because homelessness is a life situation rather than an inherent personal attribute, these images show no faces, so they can’t inadvertently affect anyone’s future prospects. These images invite viewers to look directly at the reality in every city and town, in hopes of spurring each of us to do more right now to help.
Images from the series were featured in The Drawing Room art gallery’s “HOME” exhibition in January-February 2024 and the “COVID Cantos” exhibition at the Lindsay Dirkx Brown Gallery in February 2025.