Chagrin New Faces Exhibit

Photos by Michael Steinberg

Valley Art Center Show on Homeless

The Valley Art Center in Chagrin Falls Ohio is hosting an exhibit focusing on homelessness. “The Celebration of Diversity: The New Face of Homelessness” runs from February 12-March 17, 2011. It is free and open to the public. NEOCH provided the gallery with our movable wall and some photos by homeless artist who took a photography class that NEOCH orchestrated. Lutheran Metropolitan Ministries which operates 2100 Lakeside Men’s Shelter also provided photos with brief narratives that hung below the photo of the individual.

I had the pleasure of going to the event on its opening night. On the opening night they collected scarfs, hats and gloves that will go to the homeless. It is a moving exhibit, that showcases the challenges of living in shelter as well as the relationships and activities that help a person get through life in shelter. For example there is a photo of a young man in his late teens with a chicken resting on his arm. He discussed how he developed a friendship with the chicken who hangs around the shelter he resides at. Another example is a photo of an older gentleman his narrative simple read “I’m alive.”

The Movable Wall is a photo exhibit paid by the Cuyahoga Arts and Culture Fund that features photos taken by homeless people, and gives a unique perspective on homelessness. The Movable Wall has traveled to churches, gallerias and schools for the past two years.

The Valley Art Center is located on 155 Bell Street, Chagrin Falls, OH 44022. The gallery hour: Mon-Fri 10-4 Sat. 10-2. www.valleyartcenter.org

by Holly Lyon
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Portraits of Homeless Residents will be in City Hall next week

Staff at 2100 Lakeside will display the portraits show at the City Hall Rotunda next week. The presentation of the show will be Monday April 19 from 5-7 p.m. with a short overview and talk by staff and residents of the shelter.

I went to the show when it was hung at CSU Levin College, and I urge everyone to go see it. The interesting part of this show that separates from other shows is there is a narrative that Lydia Bailey prepared with each of the images. You get the opportunity to read the story behind the image, and get to know the subjects. Catch the opening and stick around for the City Council meeting at 7 p.m. What a great night--poverty, art, and democracy for free.

Brian
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Dream/Home at Dobama

Cleveland Hts. Playwright Captures Foreclosure Crisis

Dobama Theatre, currently residing at the Playhouse near the City of Cleveland Clinic, staged a wonderful play about the impact of foreclosures on Greater Cleveland. I am no expert on foreclosures, but my wife is, and she was impressed that the playwright captured all the ancillary problems. Sarah Morton wrote the play Dream/Home in an attempt to capture the hardships associated with losing a home in a neighborhood. I am sorry that I did not see this earlier so that I could have warned people to catch it before it ended. I was impressed that she used the stories about the 1933 riots over foreclosures into the play.

Morton had characters that included the head of a local bank, neighbors, elderly facing housing issues, teenagers facing displacement, a number of Mom's, and real estate agents. I thoroughly enjoyed the play even though it was depressing. I hope that Ms. Morton is able to sell this play to a national audience. It is a fantastic representation of the devastation in neighborhoods because of the foreclosure crisis. Morton did a great job demonstrating the concept of a home. She spent a great deal of time looking at this concept from the perspective of everyone with a stake in the neighborhood. A special recognition of Rodney Freeman who played the grandfather neighbor "George." I really enjoyed his performance. I had the privilege of speaking after the Friday show with Sarah Cruise of Interfaith Hospitality Network for a post play talk. It was amazing how many people stayed for the discussion, and most had great questions.

Since the crisis is not abating, and after seeing the play laid out in such stark colors, I had to wonder if it was time to start protecting our neighbors from any further foreclosures? Would the new County Sheriff go ahead with kicking a family to the street with young children if a large number of neighbors showed up to block access to a house? Shouldn't we protect children from displacement especially children in families that have a parent working and trying to save their home? Just because a family loses one income or they are only able to find part time employment, should we force them into a homeless shelter? These families may not have read their documents, and were persuaded into taking out a bigger loan then they could handle, but they do not have to shoulder all the blame for these exotic loans. They at least have to share responsibility with the banks that gave out these loans. These homeowners did not create this financial crisis caused by reckless business executives, and the homeowner never got a bailout. They did not want to lose their jobs and they did not plunge the country into a recession. No matter what, a point made by Ms. Cruise on Friday was an innocent child never deserves homelessness.

Brian
Posts reflect the opinion of those who sign the entry.