Hobos to Street People Exhibition Kick-off!

We invite you to join WRAP for the public opening celebration of Hobos to Street People: Artists’ Responses to Homelessness from the New Deal to the Present—an exhibition of artwork (curated by WRAP artist organizer Art Hazelwood) by more than 30 artists created over the last 75 years to document the tragedy of homelessness and the government’s role in the crisis. The event will take place at the California Historical Society (678 Mission St., San Francisco, CA 94105) on Thursday, February 19, 2009 from 6-8 PM.

2008 marked the 75th anniversary of the New Deal, a time when the US government responded to the devastating impact of the Great Depression by creating powerful programs to assist those in poverty. Now with the current economic downturn and a new administration there’s talk of a New New Deal.

Over the years, artists have shown different aspects of poverty and homelessness. During the Depression, WPA artists portrayed the lives of the poorest Americans both in “noble” and negative images. From World War II through the 1980s, artists tended to portray the homeless as degenerates unworthy of the government’s interest. Contemporary artists, however, are witnessing, documenting, and commenting on today’s poverty in ways more akin to artists of the Depression era. This exhibition reflects this evolution and examines one of the most fundamental of human needs: Housing.

Click here to preview the exhibit on our website.