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Safe as houses

2018 Competition entry

Kara Schoeman

Details:
Signed
Glass
19 cm x 21 cm x 20 cm

Description:

Our houses give us the feeling of belonging and safety.  Yet, those who do not own any property might never truly feel like they belong in their current place of residence.  The same is true for someone that fear land expropriation.  Even though they own their house, they might feel like they no longer belong in their save haven.  The glass resembles the fragility of our sense of belonging. The glass is beautiful and seems strong, similar to our safe houses.  Yet this illustration, the glass, can break very easily just like our sense of belonging can vanish without us even being removed from our safe houses.  The pure thought of losing our houses can already cause the anxiety and depression of not belonging anymore.

Karyn Hall explains that the sense of belonging is a human need, just like the need for food or shelter.  The sense of belonging helps us to understand life and cope during difficult times.  It adds value to our lives and keeps us motivated.  We have a need to be connected to others.  But once a person feels like he is unwelcome in a neighbourhood this sense of belonging shatters like glass even though he still has his house.  The house now becomes a building - and loses its sense of home.