Reimagining Radical Cities│602│Labor Conditions from a Global South Perspective

Reimagining Radical Cities│Labor Conditions from a Global South Perspective [The script of this episode] This section opens with a 1997 exhibition titled Lord of the Rim: In Herself / For Herself and features two key pieces from that exhibition, highlighting the labor dynamics shaped by the global division of labor. Hou Lulu Shur-tzy’s Labors and Labels I captures the daily experiences and work scenes of female laborers through photography. These are combined with cotton threads that are integral to their lives to portray their labor. Wu Mali’s Stories of Women from Hsinchuang embroiders stories of female textile workers onto fabric. The blurred text, barely perceptible in dim light, serves as a metaphor for their lack of visibility in society. The sound of sewing machines in the video reflects the relentless rhythm of their life. Hou I-ting’s latest work, developed for this exhibition and titled Revisit the Edge of Basin, responds to the themes of the 1997 exhibition, explores the bodily memories of female laborers, and further highlights the challenges faced by non-typical workers in contemporary times. Expanding on the discussion of labor issues, Print & Carve Dept.’s The Transformation utilizes comics to illustrate workers' living conditions. This work draws inspiration from Maquilapolis, a documentary featuring life in the maquiladora regions along the US-Mexico border. Moving forward, you will find Chang Chien-chi’s photographs of undocumented immigrants in New York’s Chinatown and their families back home. A comparison of their images reveals stark contrasts in living environments, expressions, and postures. Through these artworks, we invite you to reflect on how the formation of global industry chains and their changes impact workers’ lives. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Reimagining Radical Cities Time│2025/04/25-2025/09/07 Venue│NTCAM: 6A, 6B, 8F Gallery Curator│HSIEH Feng-rong, Amy CHENG Artist│Engineering of Volcano Detonating, Print & Carve Dept., JUN Sojung, Eisa JOCSON & Venuri PERERA, Joyce HO, HO Rui An, Your Bros. Filmmaking Group, WU Mali, WU Chuan-lun, HOU I-ting, HOU Lulu Shur-tzy, YAO Jui-lan, Musquiqui Chihying, Elom 20ce, Gregor Kasper, ZHANG XU Zhan, CHANG Chien-chi, Haegue YANG, Michael RAKOWITZ, Joiri MINAYA, HUANG Sun-quan, Rinus Van de Velde, VANDY Rattana, LIAO Chien-chung, JEONG Geumhyung More Details: https://ntcart.museum/EN/exhibition/H2503003