Michael Sachter Projects

How it all started.

At a two-artist exhibition, I added an interactive art piece and asked people to consider "What does having safe shelter mean to you?".

 

Everyone was then invited to write on my image "Shelter" with a blue marker that was chained to the photograph with Blue representing Trust and Safety and the chain signifying the limited time we have to make positive change in our world.

 

The circle formed from all the written intentions represents our community  and that we must work together, as people, businesses and government leaders, to make it better for everyone.

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What happened?

Eight shows + one private black tie event + a commissioned version for the Fireside Conference = 4 new computers funded for The Red Door Shelter (www.RedDoorShelter.ca).

 

https://www.michaelsachterphotography.com/p211581660 

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What if Shelter could involve and engage whole cities? 

 

The deep reactions, conversations and emotional responses we received inspired a city-scale version - this is the City Shelter Project.

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The City Shelter Project is a layered, interactive, digital projection of peoples responses using an app and on-site tablets held by volunteers to:

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1. Ignite and amplify engagement, awareness and conversations about the need for safe shelter

 

2. Inspire support for innovative solutions that help break the cycle of homelessness 

 

How it comes to life.

City Shelter Project hopes to invite Toronto's citizens to digitally express their feelings and spark deeper conversations about homelessness and our need to help the over 8000 Torontonians and refugees struggling to secure a safe place to stay.

 

The ephemeral nature of projecting my ‘Shelter’ image at a large scale, and then digitally layering people’s near real-time interactions onto it, is designed to connect us all to the meaning of safe shelter and support positive change. One idea is to set up the digital projection or backlit LED screen at City Hall in early October leading up to World Homelessness Day.

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The digital interactions will be in blue (representing trust/security) using two shades, allowing the audience to see their inputs at the installation evolves. The process of writing one’s thoughts is powerful and is being used to imply action transforms ideas into results.

 

Interactions will be put in a circular area reflecting our community and the limited time we all have to make a positive impact in the world. The evolving image will reveal what we each see and feel while preserving what came before it. It will reflect the influence we have on each other and on the future like past civilizations that have affected our thoughts and actions today.

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The final image will be emailed to participants on World Homelessness Day- Oct 10th to fuel conversations and support for funding more and better shelters and systems. All interactions will be free to do and we will create the ability to voluntarily donate to a related set of Not For Profit causes as an option. 

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The City Shelter Project team is working hard to gather the partnerships to support the appearance in cities around the world beginning with Toronto.   

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Want to learn more and explore partnership and collaboration?  Please contact me.

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Love, Michael

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