Photographs by Mirko Boffelli
It all began with a few words: “I had a dream about you. You’re going to make a movie about me.”
This is what Tachowa, a man who lived inside an old water tank on the outskirts of LA said to Hal Samples, photographer and videographer from Dallas - and he was right.
When Banksy tagged the exterior of the tank, Tachowa’s home suddenly became a desirable art object. “It was already a piece of art, long before it was called a piece of art by people who saw what Banksy did” said Dylan Hollingsworth, a friend of Hal’s who was involved in Tachowa’s journey. “We hoped that others would see the beauty or magic in it ⁃ sustainable living, urban survival, beautiful painting…”
Samples of Society is an exhibition showcasing documentary photography and the first feature length film by Hal Samples. The photographs were captured during his 17 year-long journey that lead him to complete his film. Hal, who is now a film director at LUSH, made it his mission to give the homeless a voice, and to make the invisible visible through his work.
Samples of Society will next be screened at HOXTON 253 in London, followed by a tour in New York, Los Angeles, Dallas, Tokyo and beyond.
For the exhibition we have also teamed up with Light & Noise, a #DoSomethingForNothing art show by duo Joshua Coombes and Jamie Morrison. The Do Something For Nothing movement began 5 years ago when Joshua Coombes, a London-based hairstylist, started offering free haircuts to men and women living on the streets - and then sharing their stories.
Light & Noise has been previously showcased in London, Manchester, Paris, Amsterdam, Berlin for one night events and now it is back to London for the one week long exhibition also featuring the Do Something for Nothing short films made in collaboration with Hal.
Each screening will be followed by an interactive panel discussion and a Q&A.
This is a great opportunity to meet the artists, offering space to network and discuss any questions you have about what can be done to help or raise awareness. Through the exhibition and discussions, we aim to question different aspects of homelessness, the means of property and sharing as well as the twisted nature of the art market.
Samples of Society has been produced by LUSH, the eco-friendly cosmetics brand. Last year LUSH launched its own digital publishing platform LUSH Player to support under-reported topics. The brand has previously backed campaigns against animal cruelty, homophobia and transphobia.
Thursday 18th - Panel discussion with Hal Samples Film Director, Simon Constantine Head Perfumer of LUSH, Joshua Coombes Hairstylist and #dosomethingfornothing Founder.
Friday 19th July - Discussion with Hal Samples Film Director, Charlie Wright, founder and director of Hopeful Traders and David Tovey, artist and founder of One Festival of Homeless Arts..
Saturday 20th July – Discussion with Hal Samples, Director, and Gary Beadle.
Artworks will be for sale, part of the profit will be donated to charities supporting people living on the streets, another part will be supporting other various HOXTON 253 non-profit projects about climate change, sustainability, mental health and human rights.
___________________________________
Hal Samples
www.halsamples.com/
Joshua Coombes
https://instagram.com/joshuacoombes?igshid=7jl1d0uis8fs
Jamie Morrison
http://gotvitaminc.blogspot.com/
#DoSomethingForNothing
https://instagram.com/dosomethingfornothing?igshid=6m47dq15x6v5
Light &Noise
https://www.freundevonfreunden.com/city/berlin/joshua-coombes-and-jamie-morrison-use-visual-art-to-amplify-the-voices-of-isolated-communities/
LUSH
https://uk.lush.com/article/samples-society
This is what Tachowa, a man who lived inside an old water tank on the outskirts of LA said to Hal Samples, photographer and videographer from Dallas - and he was right.
When Banksy tagged the exterior of the tank, Tachowa’s home suddenly became a desirable art object. “It was already a piece of art, long before it was called a piece of art by people who saw what Banksy did” said Dylan Hollingsworth, a friend of Hal’s who was involved in Tachowa’s journey. “We hoped that others would see the beauty or magic in it ⁃ sustainable living, urban survival, beautiful painting…”
Samples of Society is an exhibition showcasing documentary photography and the first feature length film by Hal Samples. The photographs were captured during his 17 year-long journey that lead him to complete his film. Hal, who is now a film director at LUSH, made it his mission to give the homeless a voice, and to make the invisible visible through his work.
Samples of Society will next be screened at HOXTON 253 in London, followed by a tour in New York, Los Angeles, Dallas, Tokyo and beyond.
For the exhibition we have also teamed up with Light & Noise, a #DoSomethingForNothing art show by duo Joshua Coombes and Jamie Morrison. The Do Something For Nothing movement began 5 years ago when Joshua Coombes, a London-based hairstylist, started offering free haircuts to men and women living on the streets - and then sharing their stories.
Light & Noise has been previously showcased in London, Manchester, Paris, Amsterdam, Berlin for one night events and now it is back to London for the one week long exhibition also featuring the Do Something for Nothing short films made in collaboration with Hal.
Each screening will be followed by an interactive panel discussion and a Q&A.
This is a great opportunity to meet the artists, offering space to network and discuss any questions you have about what can be done to help or raise awareness. Through the exhibition and discussions, we aim to question different aspects of homelessness, the means of property and sharing as well as the twisted nature of the art market.
Samples of Society has been produced by LUSH, the eco-friendly cosmetics brand. Last year LUSH launched its own digital publishing platform LUSH Player to support under-reported topics. The brand has previously backed campaigns against animal cruelty, homophobia and transphobia.
Thursday 18th - Panel discussion with Hal Samples Film Director, Simon Constantine Head Perfumer of LUSH, Joshua Coombes Hairstylist and #dosomethingfornothing Founder.
Friday 19th July - Discussion with Hal Samples Film Director, Charlie Wright, founder and director of Hopeful Traders and David Tovey, artist and founder of One Festival of Homeless Arts..
Saturday 20th July – Discussion with Hal Samples, Director, and Gary Beadle.
Artworks will be for sale, part of the profit will be donated to charities supporting people living on the streets, another part will be supporting other various HOXTON 253 non-profit projects about climate change, sustainability, mental health and human rights.
___________________________________
Hal Samples
www.halsamples.com/
Joshua Coombes
https://instagram.com/joshuacoombes?igshid=7jl1d0uis8fs
Jamie Morrison
http://gotvitaminc.blogspot.com/
#DoSomethingForNothing
https://instagram.com/dosomethingfornothing?igshid=6m47dq15x6v5
Light &Noise
https://www.freundevonfreunden.com/city/berlin/joshua-coombes-and-jamie-morrison-use-visual-art-to-amplify-the-voices-of-isolated-communities/
LUSH
https://uk.lush.com/article/samples-society