Morgan Bakaletz

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Reduced (2020)
Oil paint
3′ x 3′

From the artist:
This piece is about the system of homelessness. The layers of paint in this piece are symbolic of the layers of clothes that people experiencing homelessness wear in the winter. You layer and you layer but it seems as if you cannot ever keep warm. Useless and disposable, unnoticed and trapped in somewhere you cannot escape. The only house people experiencing homelessness are granted is the house of lack. We often describe necessities like food, water, and shelter. I think one important necessity is love. Whether it’s sharing a dollar or sharing a smile, people experiencing homelessness deserve acknowledgment and support. They should not have to be belittled by middle-class, white Americans because of their appearance or how many items they own. We need to stop giving handouts and start giving hand-ups.