Artist Statement
Originally presented as an accordion-fold photo book, Seven Uniforms depicts a series of boiler suits photographed to show the varying levels of use and dishevelment from being worn on a regular basis. The final image in the series is a photograph of my father wearing one of the uniforms to challenge the sterility and indexicality of the series. The resistance to impersonalness stems from my familial relation to labour as many of my relatives have spent decades working in factory environments to provide for their families. The result of the arduous and physically exhaustive hours are now manifesting in an array of illnesses and disabilities as they age. There is also a resistance to separate the worker from their labour as for many machine operators – like my father – are trained to produce specific parts that are then shipped elsewhere to be assembled in automotive engines, and then placed into vehicles by another party. The levels of detachment from the final product produces a sense of abstraction for the worker who has no authorship over their work and products created.
While the series has been reimagined for print, the original photo book was a series of seven images to signify the number of days in a factory workweek.