Rebecca Deegan wanted us to look at homelessness differently, so she painted this, about “the vulnerability and isolation felt by those who have nothing”. It’s the latest in our series on works by Dublin artists.
Welcome Home
By Rebecca Deegan
Oil on canvas, 12 x 16 inches
1. This work is about . . . the romanticism of dire situations, in this case, having no place to call home. Finding safety in less-than-comfortable places, and having faith in a higher power. I wrote a poem to go with it, which reads, in part, “The moon will always guide you, the fog will always hide you, the sun will always warm you, and the stars are those which have borne you.”
2. I made this work because . . . I wanted to create an artwork that tells the viewer about homelessness in a different way to how they would normally view homeless people. This piece was specifically created for an event hosted by Common Grounds Collective to raise money for Focus Ireland.
3. I hope when people see this work they will . . . enjoy the aesthetic and romanticism of the painted subject before realizing the true situation that the artwork is depicting; the vulnerability and isolation felt by those who have nothing.
4. In terms of art history, this work . . . shows the viewer about modern-day issues, but in a more idyllic, dream-like setting.
5. You can see my work . . . at rebeccadeegan.com and facebook.com/rebeccadeeganartist.
Curios [sic] About is a series featuring works by Dublin artists, curated for us by our friends at the Square in the Circle blog, and hosted there as well as here.
Each artist is asked to submit an image of one work and answer a set of questions about it. We’d love it if you’d submit something you’ve made.
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“The work isn't fully satisfying. There's a kind of contingent element, or an element that you know is only going to exist in a certain way at a certain time.”
