Tag Archives: labor

Week 5: Labour

How have artists made us think and feel about labor? Well, artists knows that they are labour themselves and their works is a reflection of that. Ok Kidding.

Labor is a very broad term and one of its synonyms is Employment. However, when we use the word Labor, I feel there is a very negative connotation attached to the word ‘labor’. Don’t make me even start with Hard Labor!

But anyway, labor is one of the favourite topics artist likes to tackle actually because of its relevancy to the current time and it reflect how the economy is doing. For example, I have one local artist on the top of my head when the topic about Labor came in. Jing Quek.  He is a commercial photographer by practice and he also have this series of labourers/workers posing in a very interesting manner below.

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As you can see through this series of his, it seems that Jing Quek is actually glorifying these mens and their jobs. Yes, it seems that all these people are holding blue collar jobs and for the lack of terms, hard labor. These jobs require a lot physical strength and also they come from foreigners especially from India or China. They can be seen posing in their working environment, holding their tools of trade. I really like the above photo featuring the grass cutter. The composition is really nice and the contrast colour of green and their red uniforms really make the photography pops out. SGI19

This photo however, might not be talking about glorifying the role of a maid though. I feel this photo tells the sad reality of a maid actually. They can be seen doing many things for example, taking care of a baby, ironing clothes, vacuuming and the list goes on. Even though you can say that it is glorifying the job, it is not necessary in a good way and this photo has a really good layer in terms of its message and visual.SGI37

This photo is also interesting in terms of featuring the locals trishaw drivers. Again, all the subjects in the photos are pose to make them look important and matter in life. The artist have actually brought up the topic of labor by making the subjects behave in a very unlikely manner. The message pertaining labor is brought up through the juxtaposition of its subjects and content. Being in Singapore, these people is a very aplenty in our everyday lives but we always ignore them and the topic of being invisible is relevant here. So Jing Quek is bringing them into the limelight and let us viewers see that they too are humans and hold beautiful colours in our lives.

Another artist that pops up in my head that speaks about labor is none other than the great Banksy.

In this introduction video to the Simpsons, Bansky speaks about Labour in it. From using child labour to animal abuse to even killing animal for the sake of mass making products. This video I feel might reflect the accuracy of the mass market right now. We all know that child labour is being used in those poor developing countries to make goods. And that is why unicorns no longer exists in this planet. Plus, I feel this medium of using animation and video can easily reach to the masses and the message Banksy is trying to tell can be watched by millions of people who are watching The Simpsons.

Another work by Banksy is this mural at a wall located at Wood Green, London. It depicts a child labour sewing the union jack flags in masses. The work was a protest against the use of sweatshops to manufacture Diamond Jubilee and London Olympics memorabilia in 2012. Afterwards, the wall was actually removed and it was sold for $1.1 Million dollars at an auction house. It was a very controversial topic because Banksy made the mural for the public but yet it was removed and sold. Being that controversial story that it is, I feel that the controversial took over the message of the artwork actually. Nonetheless, you can get the sense of labour being depict here in a form of a boy and the sewing machine.

Slave Labour (2012) - Banksy, Wood Green, London

Slave Labour (2012) – Banksy, Wood Green, London

Slave Labour (2012) - Banksy, Wood Green, London

Slave Labour (2012) – Banksy, Wood Green, London

Labor is essential to the economy and nation building. There are 15 definition of labor in an online dictionary. I cannot imagine number 11.

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Week 4: The Sea

In Allan Sekula’s Fish Story, he brings up very interesting topic about maritime and the sea. In an interview, Allan Sekula talk about how the sea is the reason for globalisation and expansion of the world through Trade.

Even though this interview was very insightful to what was on his mind when he created his work, I thought that I should go down to the CCA at Gillman to check things out myself. So I did. To think about trade in the 16th Century, we first need to understand the issue that Allan have bring up in his work.IMG_4510

Fish Story is an extensive research that makes a clear point that the ocean and global maritime trade contribute substantially to the circulation of commodities and capital and it is an integral part of the capitalist market forces.

At the CCA, the exhibition not only show Fish Story but also juxtapose two other works titled ‘Lottery of The Sea’ and ‘The Forgotten Space’. I quite enjoy this idea as they are all somehow related in one continuous narrative. In the Forgotten Space, Allan reminds us that the Sea is indeed a forgotten space and is actually a space of economy and prosperity(thanks to trade), but at the same time, exploits the labourers who works in the maritime trade. Allan also bring up the subject of these containers that plays a huge revolutionary impact on the world economy. Container ships looks like mobile factory moving around in looking for cheap labor.IMG_4511

 

I agree with Allan in his work when he mention the sea as the Forgotten Space. It kinds tie in to how the world actually progress and discovered! Remember all those great explorer who goes out to in search of new land, it was through the sea and with trade happening across nation, thats what make a country prosper. The sea is what makes religion spread as well! IMG_4514

Knowing the condition of the maritime industry currently, I envision trade in the 16th century even harder! Firstly, the goods have to be pack and move in an orderly manner. There must be some standardise container to make trade more efficient. Secondly, most importantly, labor. Below, the Dutch employes labours from Africa as shown in the close up of the image. They are painted with a darker skin tone and can be seen climbing the ship and doing all the hard manual labor.

Arrival of a Portuguese ship, one of a pair (Nanban screens), Six panel folding screen, 1620–1640. Japan. Ink, colors, and gold on paper. Courtesy of the Asian Art Museum, The Avery Brundage Collection, B60D77+.

Arrival of a Portuguese ship, one of a pair (Nanban screens), Six panel folding screen, 1620–1640. Japan. Ink, colors, and gold on paper. Courtesy of the Asian Art Museum, The Avery Brundage Collection, B60D77+.

This goes to show that whatever the ship belongs to, they would actually hire people from outside their countries. Even chinese workers have been depicted in paintings. Even though these nambans screens are from the 17th century, I believe they are still relevant if we are talking about the 16th century.

Arrival of a Portuguese ship, one of a pair (Nanban screens), Six panel folding screen, 1620–1640. Japan. Ink, colors, and gold on paper. Courtesy of the Asian Art Museum, The Avery Brundage Collection, B60D77+.

Arrival of a Portuguese ship, one of a pair (Nanban screens), Six panel folding screen, 1620–1640. Japan. Ink, colors, and gold on paper. Courtesy of the Asian Art Museum, The Avery Brundage Collection, B60D77+.

I like this quote by Allan Sekula below. This simple thought shows a lot of how some country can fight over territorial of the sea.

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I was watching The Forgotten Space at the CCA and there is this scene where they container is being operated by machines. It’s moving towards being automated and this is one of the worker said.IMG_4519

That is one scary thought. Regardless, labor is still needed in the maritime industry and they are the invisible hands that move the world economy.