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Artist Hands Out Brightly Colored, Patterned Tents To Call Attention To LA’s Homeless Population
Rendering by Ed Massey/Portraits of Hope
A local artist is using brightly colored, patterned tents to draw attention to Los Angeles’ homelessness crisis.
Three of the so-called art tents are on display in Santa Monica. Ed Massey, the artist behind the project, says unless there are changes to local policies and a drop in homelessness, he will make thousands more.
Copyright Ed Massey/Portraits of Hope
"I'm rooting against myself on this project,” he said. “I don't want it to occur, [but] if things don't change drastically, as they should, then the tents will come out and they'll be distributed."
Massey says he will wait about a year before he starts putting up more tents.
The changes he hopes to see in plans for the city’s homelessness crisis include fewer people living on the streets, more permanent and temporary housing and better mental health and addiction treatment.