This fantastic 45 page catalogue has been compiled by the group behind the amazing Portraits for exhibition St Petrocs. The portraits are a powerful tribute to the clients and staff of Cornish homelessness charity and the exhibition opens at the Cornwall Museum and Art Gallery in Truro on 1 March - 29 March.
The portraits capture the innate humanity of their subjects, telling their stories and focusing attention on the people who are helped by St Petrocs in times of personal crisis and need.
Founded as a direct response to homelessness in Truro in 1986, St Petrocs continues to offer much-needed practical support. The organisation also gives people who are experiencing homelessness a voice and, as this exhibition celebrates, an individuality which can’t be ignored.
Petroc is said to have been a Celtic saint who arrived at Padstow and, finding nowhere to stay, walked across Cornwall from north to south looking for shelter – but no one gave him a place to stay. Locally, he has become known as the patron saint of people who find themselves without a home.
Today, homelessness is a complex and deeply personal issue with a wide spectrum of causes and impacts. The combination of the rising cost of living and the housing crisis have led to a rise in homelessness, and the true figures are thought to be far worse.
Sleeping rough is perhaps the most obvious and visible form of homelessness, but the number of people sofa surfing, squatting, or living in temporary and unsuitable accommodation – including children – is hard to quantify.
The health and wellbeing implications of experiencing homelessness can be life changing. According to Crisis, the average age of death for people experiencing homelessness is 46 for men and 42 for women, compared to the general population of 74 for men and 80 for women.
St Petrocs approach the challenge by treating each person as an individual deserving of personalised support, addressing the root causes for each person’s experience and helping them break the cycle of homelessness for good.
In this exhibition, over forty new works by local artists reflect the intrinsic importance, worth and fellowship of the clients, staff, and volunteers of St Petrocs, celebrating their individuality, diversity and character.
Each artist has approached their subject differently, employing a variety of mediums and styles to capture the unique personality of the subject.
This exhibition supports St Petrocs and their ambition of ending homelessness in Cornwall, making any experience of it short and only as an exception, and supporting people out of homelessness for good.