Scraping the surface

 

    Brisbane’s homelessness; some would say it’s sickening, others maintain that it is merely a choice. Once poverty has been seen, however, it cannot be unseen; it’s everywhere, not only in rural areas, but also suburban and metropolitan regions. Many of these people “prefer” to be homeless, free food, no rent, no care.  

 

    One such individual I met, who would like to remain anonymous, said to me “You’ll never go hungry if you’re homeless in Australia ….. Homelessness is seasonal, people move everywhere according to the weather”. Many live as this gentleman lives, with homelessness as a lifestyle choice. For them, it is a choice that can be abandoned with relative ease. 

 

    Some aren’t so lucky. Mental illness, alcoholism and discrimination are some of the most common causes of homelessness. Individuals suffering with these issues are frequently forced into situations of poverty.

These sorts of problems often lead to abandonment by friends and family, and thus leave these people in a place of isolation. 

 

    In this body of work I have photographed and experienced a glimpse of homeless conditions. I endeavoured to scrape the surface to form a better understanding of the diversity of the individuals living in this way: their motivations and their stories.