21 August

The LMA team visits Homelessness:Reframed

To celebrate our charity partner Homewards hosting their ground-breaking exhibition ‘Homelessness: Reframed’ at the Saatchi Gallery this summer, The Lord Mayor’s Appeal team went along to check it out. 

Utilising the power of art to help improve the nation’s understanding of homelessness, the exhibition sits in one room at the well-known West London gallery, but manages to achieve a huge amount in that space. 

Divided into three sections – Invisible Worlds offering a poignant reminder of the humanity of every person experiencing homelessness; Reframed which brings together UK artists tasked with showcasing the stories of those with lived experience in a range of medias; and Open Doors which offers the hope of ending homelessness if we work together. 

The LMA team found the exhibition inspiring and heartbreaking in equal measures – with highlights including section one with its impactful display of signs made by people experiencing homelessness worldwide.

Simple words such as “Need a Miracle” and “I Need Help” written on scraps of cardboard are packed with meaning and are designed to make us think about the plight of the person writing them. 

The team also loved some of the more interactive pieces in the collection, including a repurposed Peugeot 206, made into a thought-provoking red metal structure by social justice artist David Tovey and asking 'what is home?'.

And a piece called Pack Away Desire and Other Precious Things by cultural changemaker and artist Simone Brewster depicting the experience of some of the 130,000 households in temporary accommodation in the UK. 

The final section, six vibrant doors featuring artwork from the six Homewards locations, was made in collaboration with the Saatchi Gallery’s Learning Team and other artists with lived experience.

Reflecting the stories shared between local artists and the young people they met and what home means to them was a moving insight into what these people have been through and the hope that remains. 

The Lord Mayor’s Appeal team would like to thank Homewards for hosting us at the exhibition and would encourage our supporters, in London or otherwise to check it out before it closes.

Homelessness: Reframed is open at Saatchi Gallery until Friday 20th September.

Find out more about our partnership with Homewards here