Street artist Sarah Bracken Soper completed the piece ahead of tonight’s nationwide Shine A Light sleepout event to raise funds to work towards ending homelessness.
The large-scale artwork – at The Button Factory on Curved Street – is dedicated to the 2,099 families, including 4,419 children, currently living in emergency accommodation.
The mural is near the Focus Ireland coffee shop on Eustace Street which is open 365 days a year and is often the first point of call for those finding themselves at risk of homelessness.
“I believe the creation of art is an essential process in our understanding of the world and a crucial tool for change and recovery,” Sarah said.
“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.”
The large-scale artwork, over two storeys tall, of two women embracing was revealed today on the side of The Button Factory
Sarah took inspiration for her latest work from the fact that family homelessness can often be an unseen issue.
Her mural 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.
Jesse Wiesblatt, of Focus Ireland, said: “We all hear the reports of rising homelessness figures.
“But what most people don’t realise is that the numbers reported on a monthly basis only reflect the number of people accessing emergency accommodation.
“There are a lot of contradictory statements and misunderstandings in our current conversation about homelessness.
“But at the centre of it all are people living alongside us, often unseen, in our society and communities who urgently need us to take action and support them.
“This mural, and the commitment of the thousands of people sleeping out against homelessness tonight, shows that we stand in solidarity with those affected.
“It is an issue that shouldn’t exist in our society today, and we should be doing everything in our power to bring homelessness to an end.”
Now in its 12th year, Shine A Light sees thousands of people from across the country take part in a national sleep out each year to raise much needed funds for Focus Ireland.
This year’s campaign aims to raise €1.4m, with all funds going towards vital services supporting the thousands of families, children and individuals experiencing homelessness, or at risk of losing their home.
The mural, created by renowned street artist Sarah Bracken Soper, aims to shine a light on the unseen issue of family homelessness
Bord Gáis Energy has been working with Focus Ireland since 2015, raising €4.4m to date in vital funds and supporting over 7,500 families either at risk or experiencing homelessness in Ireland.
Catherine Lonergan, Head of Retail Energy, Marketing and Data at Bord Gáis Energy, said: “As we enter our seventh year sponsoring Shine A Light, we’re committed to finding engaging ways to raise awareness and drive fundraising efforts to tackle family homelessness.
“Sarah Bracken Soper’s powerful mural exemplifies this, turning a public space into a conversation starter about the urgent need for support.”
You can sign up or donate to this year’s Shine A Light here.
