THE ORIGINAL HOMELESS
by Bek Coogan
Property Partner: Wellington City Council
Location: 115 Manners Street, Te Whanganui-ā-Tara
Date: 26 - 30 November 2021
Media: The Big Idea
For The Original Homeless Bek pushed her response to the neo-liberal housing crisis that is Aotearoa further by developing on art project ‘We’re all Hostages’ held at Te Whare Herā, 2020.
For that project Bek compulsively 'rescued' 100's of shards of mostly Rimu sarking destined for landfill, in a ‘raged’ response to the current housing and economic situation. This Rimu wood also calls to the underlying truth of the ecological impacts of settler-colonial land ownership and misuse.
This time the Rimu sarking wood made another come-back, starring in a contemporary, interactive, real life, real time take on the Christmas Nativity scene. Joseph and Mary, the original homeless, giving birth to a spiritual message, in a manger, or was it a cave..? By referencing historic and symbolic narratives that have been layered with ‘consumerism’ via the brainwashing with the tropes of ‘Christmas Capitalism’ Bek created a space to reflect on how the land and spirituality, and the human right to a home have also been ‘consumed’ and ‘disrespected’.
The specific location of Te Aro Park, the site for this Art Work is also already a historically loaded site. Like the Real Estate Agents say, ‘Location, Location, Location’.
Through active listening to ‘the Rimu’ can the real story be told? or found?. Can the message show us something awesome we can do with our hands to help us orientate ourselves into the future?
Yeah, classic ‘Christmas crafts’ will also be starring in this offering to the current crisis- We are the ‘Christmas Card’. Can affordable rent be the gift this Christmas..? ‘Where are the Wise Men Now..?’ – that Hymn that Bek wrote in 2013 with Gemma Gracewood will surely make a come back.
This interactive work was part installation, part performance, as passers by were welcomed to become part of the work and part of the story, via the opportunity to take a photo, make a card, make a decoration with their own authentic message. A chance to pause and breathe. Sometimes that is the best option available. Breathe, the gift of life, the holy fire. The original gift.
The overall aim of this work was to make an offering. The nature of this offering determined throughout the week of this interactive installation.
Artist Biography
Bek Coogan is a Te Whanganui-a-Tara-based artist and musician, performance artist, whose work orbits the meeting points where real life meets art. At the last bi-annual Palmerston North Mayday Concert 2021, Bek sang with her mum’s political choir, The Brazen Hussies the song ‘Where Have All The Houses Gone..?’
