In six words, famed artist distills essence of nationwide housing crisis
Internationally renowned feminist artist tackles issues of homelessness and affordable housing in her latest work; Mural appears on headquarters of AHF’s Housing Is A Human Right advocacy group and its Healthy Housing Foundation in prime—and gentrifying—Sunset Boulevard location in Hollywood, CA
LOS ANGELES (January 9, 2020) Housing Is A Human Right (HHR), the housing advocacy division of AIDS Healthcare Foundation (AHF) and leading sponsor of the Rental Affordability Act campaign, is honored to become home to the latest mural by legendary artist Barbara Kruger.
Kruger is perhaps best known to Angelenos for her iconic red and white word text mural Untitled (Questions) on the MOCA Geffen Contemporary building in Little Tokyo in Downtown Los Angeles, or through her provocative work housed within LACMA’s elevator shaft – Untitled (Shafted).
Her newest mural was installed on the Sunset-facing side of the Housing Is A Human Right Offices (and Rental Affordability Act campaign headquarters) early this year. The 28-foot by 50-foot mural features Kruger’s trademark style of provocative text – in this case posing the question, “WHO IS HOUSED WHEN MONEY TALKS?”
Kruger is no stranger to using her artwork as a vehicle to speak truth to power on issues of justice – from reproductive choice to the prison industrial complex, Kruger has never shied away from the controversy that comes with questioning the status quo. Now, in the midst of the homeless crisis, Kruger turns her unflinching eye to the roles money and power play in determining who is housed and who is not.
“We are honored to become home to a piece of Los Angeles art history and grateful to Barbara Kruger for using her work to amplify the important issue of the affordable housing crisis,” said René Christian Moya, Director of Housing Is a Human Right. “We need to do more to protect vulnerable communities and to build the housing we need. This will continue to be difficult for us to do as long as money talks.”
Kruger donated this work Housing Is A Human Right completely free of charge.
The Rental Affordability Act is sponsored by Homeowners and Tenants United with funding from the AIDS Healthcare Foundation.
Learn more at https://www.rentcontrolnow.org/
