Lisa Neighbour (CA)
Text written by GHA
Lisa Neighbour’s black-and-white drypoint etchings capture the living conditions of urban street life. The focus in these small-format works seems to be on documenting the apparent vulnerability without concentrating on aesthetically appealing illustrations, as no color or shading is used.
Neighbour depicts dwellings on the street made from found objects and discarded materials. Shopping carts repurposed to transport people’s belongings, vehicles with homemade additions have become permanent homes, and a homemade shed serves as a street food stall to earn a living. The prints show no background or shading, and the simple line drawings of the objects convey a documentary, universal approach. Although devoid of people, the constructions are nevertheless closely connected to the people they represent.
The absence of personal belongings is striking and thus addresses the universal issue of home, regardless of age and gender. The documentation of street life reveals a sensitive vulnerability and raises the fundamental question of how we as a society understand humane living conditions.
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