http://121.img.pp.sohu.com/images/blog/2007/10/31/23/7/116920b7d04.jpg

 

周恩來和鄧小平曾登過美國《時代》雜誌封面，今天世界工廠的女工也獲《時代》選為今年的風雲人物，她們對於國家以至全球的經濟發展，有著重要的力量。對於大部份離鄉別井的打工妹而言，是否風雲人物不重要，最重要是早日賺夠薪水然後衣錦還鄉。她們願望很多是很踏實的﹕「我希望能一家團聚」、「我想找個男友和嫁個好老公」。這令我想起上年在深圳何香凝美術館看過的一件作品。有位藝術家把貨櫃的鐵皮裝置於場內，再把客死異鄉的女工墓碑上的照片貼在象徵貨櫃的鐵皮上。作品的finishing不太好，但藝術家表達的內容卻使筆者沉思。當我消費女工大人為我製造的價廉物美消費品時，有否記得她們付出的血汗？我還喜歡幾年前曹斐初出道以探討珠江三角洲工廠民工的「誰的烏托邦？」。我看到的是民工每天替一家外資工廠生產燈泡，送出光明，照在人前，但是他們的前路卻一點也不光明。曹斐把民工在宿舍的二呎床位，就是他們唯一的私人空間拍下成照片展示。我看到牆上貼滿他們的夢想，當明星、舞蹈家的，似是遙不可及，令我印象很深刻。活在消費社會，我們只能在購物架上欣賞美觀的貨品，那有機會讓人想起打工妹的故事？筆者感受深一點也只是因為工作關係遊走在貧富懸殊的兩端。當我回到美國公司，住在老闆的比華利式豪宅，出入名貴房車。但當我回到內地廠工作時，我接觸過最差的廠是70位男女工只有一個浴室和浴室外的水喉。原來當人在物資如此缺乏之下，那兒還有性別區分？一群女工在水喉前把濕毛巾穿過衣服伸入身體洗擦，沒有人有空偷窺也沒有人有空表示不好意思。如果老闆是住在天堂，他們是住在地獄。

Time Magazine has included “the Chinese worker” in its final list of nominees for Person of the Year 2009. They are so important to global economy, but do they care? “I want to go home and stay with all my family members”, “I wish that I can meet a boyfriend and marry a good husband”, workers said. China Tracy is a famous Chinese young artist now, and she made a work called‘Whose Utopia?’Her personal angel of representation impressed me. It is an installation in search of the utopia of Chinese workers. They produce neon lights in factory and brighten people’s lives. What a contradiction that their lives seem never so brighten. I saw many photos showing their private space, the wall besides their bed, contains their dreams. They drew or pasted their dream there…want to be a dancer, want to be a star, sketch of their dream home…etc. What a pity is utopia is nowhere. I worked for a US company in Hong Kong, so I always be to States and stayed in boss’s house. Living in a grand house and driving a luxury car, the live style I experience in States is much different from what I saw the workers in China factory. It is the worst factory I had never seen before. 70 workers share only one bathroom and they take a shower within an hour. There are people living in heaven, there are people living in hell.