"Homeless" Diptych by Todd Bradley
Homeless Diptych
Todd Bradley
Artist Statement:
The State of America
For the past three elections, I have revisited The State of America, a project using 1:87 scalemodel railroad figurines to create dioramas reflecting critical social issues. This year, I explore homelessness and women’s reproductive rights.
The homeless diptych was inspired by the encampments under the C Street bridge in downtown San Diego, where I park my motorcycle for school. The sidewalks are lined with tents, bikes, and dogs, the air thick with the stench of trash and urine. Some individuals maintain clean camps, while others suffer from mental illness and opioid addiction. There are no easy answers. Solutions range from doing nothing to reinstating mental health institutions dismantled in the 1980s. As you view the diptych, I urge you to consider: What is best for those in this crisis? What actions can we take to create real change?
The Planned Parenthood image, “Women’s Reproductive Rights Held Hostage,” employs dark humor to highlight extreme anti-abortion laws. Some states have banned abortion entirely and proposed bounties for reporting women and doctors. My diorama depicts a hostage situation outside a Planned Parenthood, where a pregnant woman is held at gunpoint amid protests. The piece critiques the ignorance surrounding the organization’s broader healthcare services and the devaluation of women’s rights.
Art is a conversation. By engaging with these images, I hope viewers reflect on their role in shaping solutions to these pressing issues.
Todd Bradley
