Mended Hearts
At the @AutonomousWinterShelter
January 2022
@ohseven4
Inception:
The Autonomous Winter Shelter
Organised by homeless people, squatters, and artists; the Autonomous Winter Shelter (AWS) was created in response to institutional neglect amidst some of the coldest recorded temperatures in years.
The aim was to cultivate a space where it was possible for people to thrive; by engaging with the space, but also the people around them, instead of being infantilised as is the case in hostels.
Eviction
The occupied building was a former St Mungo's Hostel. Despite it being empty for a protracted period, the "housing association" OneHousing took the shelter to court, and decided to return the previously homeless persons back to the street in January.
The AWS organised a foodsharing action as a response. Leaflets were printed with the message "we squatters take better care of the houseless than corporate associations".
Another action involved welcoming visitors to the shelter, and showing them around whilst wearing the emoji masks.
The visitors could see the freeshops, living room, bedrooms, as well as the kitchen where food was prepared to distribute to the #KilltheBill protestors at Parliament Square, as well as to other homeless people in the neighborhood.
@guy.smallman
The Masks
In actions such as the AWS project, anonymity is safety. Risks include state surveillance and repression, as well as doxxing and other forms of harassment. Solidarity is being criminalised ; therefore, anonymity is protection.
However, the consequence of anonymity is a lack of identification. It is hard to relate to them because they are faceless. People wearing masks are dehumanised by public discourse.
One way to solve this issue and convey trespassers' humanity was to make the masks themselves expressive. Each person could choose the emoji that reflected the most how they felt.
Thanks to the masks, some of the residents felt safe enough to let journalists in. The media could document the shelter as experienced by the inhabitants themselves, showing them in the intimacy of their daily lives.
Reception
The foodshare was supported by @resisting.anti.trespass, which unfortunately meant that the distribution of free meals was observed and harassed by a litany of specialist police officers who identified themselves as members of the counterterrorism unit.
Disallowing people to freeze to death on the cold streets of London is indeed what the state considers a threat. But to escape this institutional violence and terrorism one mustn't be identifiable.
The masks highlight this absurdity: having to hide in order to access the comforts of sleep, tea, and community.
@ohseven4
@guy.smallman
@guy.smallman