HouseBroken

During the COVID-19 pandemic, people spent far too much time at home. Not everyone’s home was the same, some went without a roof over their heads, others packed into spaces that were too small, and many were completely alone. We became “HouseBroken,” our homes became both sanctuary and prison. This weird dichotomy affected everyone differently and it changed us as a society.

The work Stern created for HouseBroken considers the notions of house/home—in all their mixed messages. Each sculpture and drawing riffs on the notions of houses, homes, family, loneliness, connection, security, or escape.

This body of work is a loose document of the pandemic years, in addition to, standing on its own over time as a visual musing about the nature of “home.” Using a wide range of mixed materials, Stern sought to channel her own experience into a visual reality that all can tap into as we process what took place during the pandemic.