Since China was accepted into the WTO, western firms are rapidly transferring their production into its territory. Already this is having enormous consequences for Europe’s economic structure. In particular, here in Italy the textiles sector has fallen into serious crisis, which is spreading to other industrial sectors also, to the point that now we have a sad and daily familiarity with hearing that another firm is closing and that its employees have been fired. And while this happens, in China thousands of new factories are being built with european capital – working places in which chinese employees are underpaid, the labor is exploited, and conditions are inappropriate and even inhumane. It is difficult to foresee the long-term consequences of these global changes, but we do know that when we explore the abandoned industrial areas in our home city of Milan, we sense that we may be looking into macabre mirrors of the future. We feel this uneasiness even when we look at presently-operating work places. Exploring in building yards, walking among the machines and passing through the vast office complexes filled with employees, we sense a shared destiny that seems to reside here, turning time around and reflecting back on itself, reminding us to choose our own path carefully, now, while we can…
About the prints
The images of the “Working class” series are printed in the 100x80cm. size.
Print editions are limited to nine with two artist proofs.