What makes you feel “at home?” It could be an object, a place, or people that others can overlook, but they bring so much comfort and shape us into who we are. In these times of uncertainty, it is these things that we seek to ground ourselves amidst the chaotic turmoil. Here is a collection of five pieces from the Escalette Collection, featuring various media to reflect on those spaces and items that signify home.

Buildings by Ana Serrano

The Escalette Collection holds five of Serrano’s Buildings: Iglesia La Luz Del Mundo, Leaves in HP, Mustard House, Neveria, and Sarita’s #1, all made of cardboard, inkjet print copies on paper, glue, and acrylic. These buildings take on the more literal sense of home, the ones we grew up in. They resemble a Latino neighborhood around Los Angeles, where each building is one of a kind, from the bright colors to the Spanish text on the walls to the intricate details representing the owner’s heritage and family. Their handcrafted appearance also reflects the hard work of the Latino community in claiming its deserved space in Los Angeles. Although many homes or company buildings may not have striking visual characteristics like Buildings, they still have elements that make them feel and look like home. My house is light blue with various plants surrounding it, such as gardenia bushes, birds of paradise, and a mango tree, providing a comforting space to grow. In creating this series, Serrano recognizes the uniqueness of Los Angeles, its people, and their prioritization of home.

What are the characteristics of your house or surrounding buildings that resonate with you, and what does it represent about you and your community?

Patrick Martinez, boyle heights cake spot, acrylic and stucco on panel, 2016. Purchased with funds from the Escalette Endowment.

boyle heights cake spot by Patrick Martinez

This painting by Martinez depicts an unassuming bakery corner with painted advertisements, including a cake, a phone number, and a mix of English and Spanish text. Although this painting can be a cityscape, it can resonate deeply with others. Simple holes in the wall can bring back memories of grabbing a sweet treat with your grandparents or a symbol of your community, your home base. For the city of Los Angeles, where Martinez is based, companies like the bakery in this painting symbolize the community, reflecting the hard work of its people and their passion to provide and care for one another, creating a home. For me, it is this touristy shave ice spot in Hawaiʻi; however, it is very secluded in a residential area with little to no parking. It brings back memories as a kid when my family would go every other weekend, which fuels my sweet tooth today.

What is a building/company/business you have always connected with that can seem unassuming to others, and why does it mean so much to you?

Zachary Drucker and Rhys Ernst, Relationship #23, The Longest Day of the Year, chromogenic print, 2011. Purchased with funds from the Escalette Endowment.

Relationship #23, The Longest Day of the Year by Zackary Drucker and Rhys Ernst

This chromogenic print depicts two individuals in a long, deep embrace. It is a part of a photo series of two transgender individuals navigating their lives together. Not only does this piece uplift the transgender experience, but it also speaks to the necessary human need for contact and support. Everyone needs a good hug, and usually, they come from the people we care about the most, who know our journey and all our efforts in life. Even if you are far from home, you can always count on specific individuals to provide a home away from home. It can be a friend, a distant family member, or a neighbor. In our most challenging moments, the people in our lives can help bring us back to our best selves.

Who is someone in your life that you can be honest with who genuinely supports you and makes you feel at home no matter what?

Millie Wilson, Untitled (dog and bone), Color transparency in aluminum light box, 2011. Purchased with funds from the Escalette Endowment.

Millie Wilson, Untitled (dog and bone), Color transparency in aluminum light box, 2011. Purchased with funds from the Escalette Endowment.

Untitled (dog and bone) by Millie Wilson

This lightbox piece is a vintage image of a dog standing on its hind legs for a bone in a living room. Although this image is a memory within a home, it is also a found image. In a way, Wilson repurposes this photo of a dog to communicate nostalgic memories applicable to anyone. The idea of home exists in the memories captured in pictures. The concept of home is universal because it is an aspect of life that is consistent over time. Like the rest of the art in this post, home is a nuanced term that can apply to anyone because it holds significant meaning. The piece reminds me of the comfort and security I feel inside my bedroom or with friends at a restaurant, and it could mean many different things to you.

Home can be found anywhere, just like this photo, if it matters to you. What is your definition of home?

Norm Hines, Gentle Springs, granite, 1984. Gift of Town and Gown.

Gentle Spring by Norm Hines

Bringing it home to the Chapman, this asymmetrical rock sculpture water fountain sits in the Escalette Plaza. It is a common hangout spot on campus for many students, community members, and dogs! Gentle Spring is one of those signifying pieces of the Chapman community. Chapman University is a home away from home for many, and the art that decorates the campus shapes it into one of familiarity, creativity, and community. As a student, I always appreciate the serenity and peacefulness of the piece, and I laugh when the dogs take a dip. Prospective students or passersby may not think twice about this sculpture, but it unites many of us as a form of home for the Chapman community.

To Chapman readers, what is an Escalette Collection piece that reminds you of Chapman? To those outside of Chapman, what art piece signifies home to you and why?

We invite you to explore all the works in the Escalette Collection by visiting our eMuseum. 

Wilkinson College of Arts, Humanities, and Social Sciences is the proud home of the Phyllis and Ross Escalette Permanent Collection of Art. The Escalette Collection exists to inspire critical thinking, foster interdisciplinary discovery, and strengthen bonds with the community. Beyond its role in curating art in public spaces, the Escalette is a learning laboratory that offers diverse opportunities for student and engagement and research, and involvement with the wider community. The collection is free and open to the public to view.