Let’s Love Life

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Though I can’t be sure it’s his work, I’m pretty confident this is the work of a guy called Matt. (I saw him earlier in the night, ahead of this being created, and knowing the way he works, I’m sure it’s him).

Made from soil, you can’t help but love the sentiment in this piece of “organic public art” in my back laneway.
Made from soil, you can’t help but love the sentiment in this piece of “organic public art” in my back laneway.

Matt is a homeless guy who has lived on-and-off in my neighbourhood over the last few years.

He’s a divisive figure in my neighbourhood. Some people hate him sleeping rough, and his erratic behaviour. Others, like me, have developed a friendly relationship with him, though noting his behaviour is sometimes a little bit challenging. From my conversations with him, he seems like a genuinely thoughtful interesting man, albeit with a troubled life.

I wrote about him previously, both here and on the Surry Hills & Valleys story-telling site.

James O’Brien : The Sound Guy
There’s a homeless guy who has been living near my apartment on and off for a couple of years. He has a bunch of “issues”, and though he’s sometimes a little “scary”, other times he’s quite okay, and we’ve chatted together about all kinds of things. A few months ago I noticed a nearby neighbour had left an envelope of cash for him, so I’m obviously not the only one who knows and cares for Matt. A few months ago it really struck home to me about the changes in Surry when I was coming out of my apartment block and was confronted by a man who almost shouted at me “Have you seen the homeless guy? Have you reported him to the police?”. “Yes, I have seen him”, I told him, “but he’s never caused me any concern, so I haven’t. Why would I?” The guy looked dumbfounded at my response. A few days later, I saw Matt being addressed by the police, and being told he shouldn’t hang around in our neighbourhood anymore. “What exactly have I done wrong? What law have I broken”, he asked the police. They didn’t have much of an answer. In the same way there’s “room” for public housing at Northcott, and there’s room for so much cultural, gender, sexual etc, diversity, I hope we don’t end up with a neighbourhood that doesn’t recognise the “other”.

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