A Los Angeles graffiti artist spray-paints murals around the homeless, depicting their hopes, dreams – and sometimes entire imaginary apartments.
The artist’s nickname is ‘Skid Robot’, and he introduces himself
as “an anonymous artist amongst the streets of skidrow,
giving to those in need. Creating a dialogue for a solution to
extreme poverty through art.”
The artist has been posting his artwork on Instagram since last
November, depicting the homeless people’s hopes and dreams: food,
money, video games, luxury cars, Apple products. Among the
artworks are also homes, natural landscapes, and even a throne
for one wheelchair-bound man.
“Ben was released from the #hospital with no #shoes,”
the caption says. “He was unable to walk as a result of being
shot in the back and eventually the hospital booted him on the
#street like so many others.” Skid Robot added that Ben had
asked him for a pencil and sketchbook instead of food.
The artist started out with just bubbles with dreams in them, but
soon proceeded to more complex pictures.
Among the most frequent hashtags he uses on Instagram are
#FeedThePoor and #HelpTheHomeless: indeed, the artist also often
shares the food with the person he paints for.
A photo posted by Skid Robot (@skidrobot) on Aug 8, 2014 at 8:33pm PDT
The idea, Skid Robot told Vice in an interview, was suggested by his girlfriend, and at
first he even felt guilty about “using [the homeless] as
props.” But soon he came to realize that he could be helping
as well.
“I went to the 99-cent store and bought snacks and toiletries
and made care packages for these people. That way, when I do roll
up, I have something to give them,” he said.
The encounters with the homeless don’t always end well, though,
the artist said.
“I had a woman pull a shank on me, so that got kind of real.
I had another guy chase me down the street,” but “most
enjoy it” and “when I offer food and money, they’re
usually hella down with it, and cool to participate.”
The artist currently works in Los Angeles, New York and
Baltimore, and has launched a campaign to boost the project
and help those in need.
A photo posted by Skid Robot (@skidrobot) on Dec 12, 2013 at 2:07am PST
A photo posted by Skid Robot (@skidrobot) on Aug 8, 2014 at 7:26pm PDT
A photo posted by Skid Robot (@skidrobot) on Aug 8, 2014 at 5:22pm PDT
A photo posted by Skid Robot (@skidrobot) on Sep 9, 2014 at 9:13am PDT
A photo posted by Skid Robot (@skidrobot) on Sep 9, 2014 at 11:57am PDT
A photo posted by Skid Robot (@skidrobot) on Oct 10, 2014 at 12:40pm PDT
A photo posted by Skid Robot (@skidrobot) on Oct 10, 2014 at 2:14pm PDT