This mixed media collage has been on my mind for years. Each sign is a miniature reproduction of real signs held by homeless people around the world – some are humorous, some brutally honest, and others deeply heartbreaking.
As you read them, they may make you laugh, cry, or simply pause for thought.
The idea for this piece first took root when I heard a young woman speak about her own experiences of homelessness. The story that has never left me was when she described two men urinating on her sleeping bag while she lay helpless on the street. I remember thinking: how can humanity be so cruel, to degrade someone at their lowest moment?
This work is my small attempt to shed light on the realities of homelessness – the pain, the resilience, and the raw humanity behind each sign.
This piece is, at its heart, about contrasts: old and new, traditional and modern, restrained and expressive. It’s a love letter to second chances – to the books, frames, and images that might otherwise be forgotten, and to the stories they can still tell.
