“I am interested in looking at how the microcosm of the food service industry is a reßection of our larger society in its class, social and ethnic divisions, and how workers themselves perceive their experiences in this industry.” This is how Lara Lepionka, Chicago artist, describes her work, featured in the upcoming Labor Beat show ‘Visible Links.’
“’Visible Links’”, Lepionka explains, “ is an installation that traces the actual people involved with the raw materials, manufacturing, distribution and transport of products I purchased. My goal is to attach names, faces and human efforts to ordinary objects on which we depend in our daily lives. I want to show the multitudes of people it takes to create a product from raw materials to consumer item and to view goods and services as products of vast human labor. I obtained photographs by sending out single-use cameras to the people and companies I traced in the United States, Poland, Indonesia, South Africa, and the Caribbean. A poster of the installation is being sent to all the individuals who participated in ‘Visible Links.’”
The video also looks at two other projects by Ms. Lepionka, ‘Identifying Marks’ and ‘Hard Workers’ which explores similar themes focusing on workers in the food service industry.
A handsome print of the ‘Visible Links’ exhibit can be ordered for $30. Contact: Lara Lepionka at: llepionka@yahoo.com, or phone: 773-334-2823
ORDERING INFORMATION:
The Labor Beat video “Visible Links” (aprox. 10 min) on the artist and the work described above can be ordered for $20 from Labor Beat, 37 S. Ashland, Chicago, IL 60607.
Labor Beat is afÞliated with IBEW 1220 as a non-proÞt. Views expressed are those of Labor Beat, not necessarily of IBEW. For more info: laborbeat@fs.freespeech.org
website: www.wwa.com/~bgfolder/lb
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