Thomas Cho
I have lived apart from my parents since the age of 9. Studying across many different countries and environments, I have not had a chance to settle into a permanent “home”. While I’m certainly not destitute or in need of shelter, I can empathize with those without a safe haven who are constantly on the move searching for a safe space to rest, those excluded and abandoned by society. Since then, I had always been envious of my surrounding peers that knew what having a comfortable, personal space felt like. I began to search for others that I shared akin experiences with: those that needed homes the most, the homeless. When researching, I found how a recent LA policy had been made to remove the tents of the homeless, kicking them out of the streets. Propelled by their selfishness, I created PIECE 10 - a tent painted with acrylic intended to be put on busy pedestrian walks. By drawing structures that seemed almost immovable - I urged my will for the policy to be abandoned. Their tents being taken away - where were they left to stay? Even with shelters built for the homeless, it was clear that these shelters had no space for many.