Sage Townsend & Krystalrose

Krystalrose, London

‘All I wanted was a home where we could feel safe and comfortable.’

In 2021, Krystalrose was living with her two-year-old daughter in a badly maintained one-bed flat. Despite the flat’s expensive monthly rent, the walls were full of mould and damp, which ruined her daughter’s cot and all of their clothes, and started to make them ill.

When Krystalrose complained about the flat’s unsuitability, she and her daughter were served an eviction notice in retaliation – an experience that threatened to leave them both homeless.

Krystalrose and her daughter now live in another privately rented flat, and while the high costs of living are a challenge, they’ve left behind the stress of being evicted, and no longer need to share a bedroom. But their home is still temporary and Krystalrose has to move yet again. With Shelter’s support Krystalrose is fighting for a permanent home for her and her daughter.

Maker’s notes

DEFLATE

The power and importance of breathing and connecting to the breath were the main inspirations for 'Deflate/Inflate'. Being evicted, and living in-between uncertain spaces causes immense stress, often making it hard to breathe.

For Krystalrose, who was living out of bags to avoid mould, breathing life into a negative space was difficult.

INFLATE

It felt important that the head-form focused on the positive aspect of new space being created. Krystarose's story, involving her young daughter, provided the idea of a child's balloon. ‘Deflate/Inflate' is an inflatable and joyful artefact, given form by the power of breath. Like a balloon, it can be blown up and deflated. It’s also designed to flat pack – echoing how, in an emergency, essential items have to be easily packed into bags, and moved on.

Materials: Recycled tissue paper and contact adhesive