An artist constructed these tiny rooms inside manholes in Italy
An estimated 4.1 million people are homeless in cities across Europe. Some even resort to living in sewers, generally because they have nowhere else to go.
Milan-based artist Biancoshock wants to raise awareness about this homeless hardship. In his latest installation, "Borderlife," he turned three abandoned manholes into small decorated rooms. With the realistic-looking yet cramped homes, he hopes to help people empathize with what it's like to live underground.
Each manhole has a different themes: one's a kitchen, another's a living room, and the last is a bathroom. A tiny blue shelf lines on the floral wall in the kitchen:
A robe hangs in the tiled bathroom:
And a Raphael angel baby painting rests on the wall in the living room:
Although the redesigned manholes are in the Italian cities of Milan and Lodi, he tells Tech Insider that he was inspired by Bucharest, a city where some 6,000 people live in sewers. As Citylab notes, many grew up in Romania's abusive orphanages or are struggling with addictions and HIV/AIDS.
The haunting work is meant to highlight those who live on the outskirts of society, both literally and figuratively, Biancoshock says.
"If some problems can not be avoided, [at least] make them comfortable," he writes.