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EMOH ( home spelled backwards)

I have always questioned the reasons that we have such a problem of homelessness and simultaneously have so many vacant homes eventually ending up in our landfills. It seems that these two puzzle pieces should be put together. Our system of demolishing homes is “backwards”, while we need to house people and reduce waste.

While building our cities and houses we use resources, destroying the Earth, our home. Our cities, full of homeless people, are riddled with vacant homes headed for landfills.

Emoh (Homespelled backwards) represents our backwards thinking and process regarding homelessness, vacancy and the environment. This spherical sculpture alludes to living spaces, including the Earth itself. Using repurposed parts from abandoned homes and garbage, Emoh is covered with art panels resembling yards, houses, farms, roads and cities, much like the Earth.

For one month, during the ArtPrize 8 event, I lived, slept and ate in Emoh (my temporary home),an 8-ft. diameter orb, making a statement about homelessness, vacancy and our backwards system. Through public vote, I placed 5th out of 1453 entrants in this international art competition.

Emoh also has been my home as I toured Flint, Detroit, Grand Rapids, Kalamazoo, Akron, Toronto, and New York City. In these cities, I visited homeless shelters, talked with homeless people, their advocates, community members and thousands of pedestrians from all walks of life. I plan on continuing my tour in order to visit many more cities.

Presently, I am investigating the possibility of creating multiple spheres like Emoh, covered with art from various artists placed throughout any city as public art. These public art pieces, with hatch doors, insulation and solar panels will also serve as temporary shelters for the homeless.

Loren Naji