Exploring the Housing Crisis in Ireland: A Thought-Provoking Glass Art Installation
Through an evocative arrangement of 12 small glass houses, this thought-provoking artwork from Alison Byrne (Irish glass artist, designer, maker, educator and founder of WildBird Studio) explores the pressing issue of the housing crisis in Ireland and its impact on individuals, couples, and families forced to live with relatives.
The surfaces of the houses will display powerful imagery of the artist and 11 other hidden homeless individuals, representing a diverse range of people, family makeups, and situations. The imagery conveys the feeling of being trapped or confined in a tiny space, often the childhood bedroom.
The 12 glass houses hold immense symbolic significance, with each structure being priced according to the average rent in Dublin during any exhibition. As rent rates fluctuate, so too will the house’s price, symbolising the pressing issue of the housing crisis.
Alison is also inviting those who have experienced hidden homelessness to participate in this project.
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Learn more about the Hidden Homeless project and how you can support it at https://wildbirdstudio.ie/pages/hidden-homeless and follow and share the project on Instagram and TikTok at @bean.no.ti.