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    The Best Work You May Never See: Street Artist Sarah Bracken Soper Shines A Light On Homelessness In Ireland

    By SHOOTNo Comments170 Views

    A mural that shines a light on the issue of family homelessness in Ireland has been unveiled in Dublin’s Temple Bar. It was created by street artist and activist Sarah Bracken Soper to raise awareness of the work and fundraising efforts of homelessness charity Focus Ireland.

    Known for addressing social, cultural and climate justice issues, Soper’s artwork in this case is designed to be thought-provoking and start a conversation around the urgent issue of homelessness in Ireland. Taking inspiration from the fact that family homelessness can often be an unseen issue, the piece features two women locked in an embrace, with one clearly visible while the other appears as a shadow. The figure that is “seen” represents the empathy and generosity of the Irish public while the “unseen” shadow figure embodies the mothers of the thousands of families trapped in hidden homelessness. The creation of the mural coincided with a “sleepout” in Dublin highlighting the homelessness crisis and was featured on Irish news.

    At present 14,486 people including 2,099 families and 4,419 children are currently experiencing homelessness in Ireland. Many of these families are based in unsuitable emergency accommodation, where living spaces can be confined to one room. The effects of this crisis are deeply felt all year round, and every day spent without a place to call home takes away a child’s sense of security and belonging.

    Explaining why she was drawn to the issue of family homelessness, Sarah said, “I believe that the creation of art is an essential process in our understanding of the world, and a crucial tool for change and recovery. I hope anyone experiencing homelessness today in our society is able to draw some comfort from knowing there are many of us who care and are willing to take action.”

    Jesse Wiesblatt of Focus Ireland explained why the scale and location of the mural in the center of Dublin is significant: “We all hear the reports of rising homelessness figures, and there are certain aspects of homelessness that are visible. But what most people don’t realize is that the numbers reported on a monthly basis only reflect the number of people accessing emergency accommodation.

    This film captures the mural and is part of the overall campaign that seeks to raise awareness of homelessness–and raise funds to combat it.

    Credits

    Client Focus Ireland Jesse Wiesblatt, Julia Smith. Creative The Brill Building Peter Snodden, creative & installation lead, campaign creative; Eleanor McCarthy, project lead; John McMahon, Laurence O’Byrne, Shane O’Riordan, Gayle Briody, campaign creatives; Sarah Bracken Soper, artist; Johnny Savage, photographer; Derek Burke (Go Hire), logistics; Luke Sweetman, camera; David Christopher Lynch, camera, edit, motion & grade; Roisin Keown, executive creative director.

    Genre:Documentary
    Media Type:Film: Short
    Video Tags:Sarah Bracken Soper



    Ad Council and McCann NY Lend An Ear, Show That “Listening Is A Form Of Love”

    Friday, December 20, 2024

    Continuing their partnership to combat the mental health crisis among America’s youth, the Ad Council and McCann New York have released the latest installment of the “Sound It Out” campaign which focuses on helping parents and caregivers have meaningful conversations with their kids about emotional wellbeing.

    The new work, “Listening is a Form of Love,” focuses on the important role parents and caregivers play in supporting young people’s emotional wellbeing and is supported by new data from Surgo Health’s Youth Mental Health Tracker. The survey highlights that: 55% of youth (ages 10-24) report mental health struggles; and one in five youth report symptoms of depression, and one in four report symptoms of anxiety.

    The film includes an interactive digital experience that invites parents to practice “holding space” by pressing the space bar to listen to kids sharing what they wish their parents could hear, in their own words. Along with this literal interpretation of the active listening the campaign encourages, the website also gives valuable tools to help parents and caregivers be better listeners, and in turn, better support their kids.

    There is also this 60-second PSA--directed by Alex Fischman Cardenas via Greenpoint Pictures--which underscores the power and importance of listening to your loved ones.

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