Owls in the Attic

Owls in the Attic is a 2023 semi-autobiographical photo project depicting the period of my life after university, looking to find my place in the world, and the difficulties myself and those in similar situations have been experiencing as a result of the ongoing housing crisis in the Netherlands.

Many young adults in the workforce who are looking to start their life (referred to as “starters” in Dutch) are left to choose between staying in their family homes indefinitely, paying exorbitant rents for minimal conditions in the private sector, or waiting an average of 7 years on the waiting list for social housing in most municipalities. As a result, many of these starters have started improvising, living in the vacant attic spaces of family, friends, or even total strangers; often a practice of questionable legality, while on their search for a more permanent living situation in a fiercely competitive and overpriced market.

This project looks to share my experiences and address not the “elephant in the room”, but rather the thousands of owls in these attics, conveniently hidden away from the eyes of a government that is seemingly not willing to see them.

Costume commissioned from: Mariann Nagy (@Grion_FursuitUP)