Brooklyn-based artist Justin Blinder has created a thought-provoking device that highlights how the soaring cost of housing is affecting daily life in the city.
The device, called Ground Truth, demonstrates how the financial strain of unaffordable housing can make everyday tasks, such as pedaling a bike, much more challenging.
Blinder's inspiration for Ground Truth came in 2020 when he was laid off from his job, just two weeks before the COVID-19 lockdown. With an uncertain future ahead, he began working for food delivery apps and experienced firsthand the struggles of navigating the city on a bike while facing financial pressures.
As a transportation editor with over a decade of experience, Andrew J. Hawkins has been following Blinder's work and notes that the device serves as a powerful commentary on the harsh realities of urban living.