The Living Room Collective may not sound like a crew of rebellious artists, but co-collaborator Amelia Merrick has been focusing social commentary on precarious housing in Prince George–Lheidli T’enneh with several community members for over a year. Omineca Arts Centre is now exhibiting their work through May.
As people in the city’s local improvised housing encampment, Moccasin Flats, began finding alternative housing, a living room wasn’t always present in the new arrangements. That may not sound like a big deal to some, but in order to articulate that absence’s significance, the collective felt artistic expression was the way to go.
Over a cup of tea, Merrick invited CFUR into her living room and dove into the concept of these spaces for those fortunate enough to have one, “Living rooms reflect the societies in which we operate, and right now I would suggest that it also reflects a lot of inequality that we have in our societies.”
Photo and story by Ian Gregg, CFUR Due North News