The recent installation on Gammeltorv, titled Welcome HomeLess, depicts 13 various homeless people in life-like positions. Scattered among a fairly popular square in the middle of town, the project is a can't miss for people passing by. Various people about the square appeared quizzical upon noticing the very human looking statues and often took a slow and cautious approach to examen if they were in fact real. This believable quality strengthens the work's impact. Additionally, casting the characters in iron versus using live performers enhances the users interaction. People would be afraid to approach a performer, much like we swiftly walk past the homeless. These statues grant us the opportunity to completely soak in the emotion from their face and body.
Having never seen a group of art like this, I wonder if the city plans to move the status to various squares and streets around Copenhagen. Gammeltorv is a strong central location with access to the popular walking street Stroget and is bounded by the court house on one end, but the piece could also make an interesting impact in other parts of town. It would be interesting to see the collection outside of Parliament or the City Hall to make an even stronger political statement. Personally, I think Welcome HomeLess is a brilliant work. Historic cities are filled with so many statues of important people from the past that we often don't stop to admire. These statues stand out in a sea of others and force one to think. Think about wealth and poverty, sickness and health, and put into perspective what's truly important in our lives.
[http://www.welcomehomeless.org/about.aspx]
No comments:
Post a Comment