Wanted for Work

Wanted for Work, 2024

Improvised live performance

Photography credits: Leah Smith (@leahjane_photography)

Recently, I felt compelled to reference the political situation playing out around the extensive public sector job cuts in Aotearoa. As of 20th April, more than 3000 public sector roles had already gone or were set to go, many in Wellington.  I wanted to advocate and acknowledge normal hardworking people.

On a Friday morning, during the commuter hour, I hauled a 26kg box containing a flat-packed office desk on a train bound for Wellington city. The desk was a stand-in for the worker, their labour, knowledge, and collective social identity. This performative artwork was itself a productive act of labour, acknowledging the value of other forms of work by association.

Dragging, pushing, straining, heaving, lifting the bulky box awkwardly through and out of the station was physically demanding on my disabled body. I bore the metaphorical weight of the complex situation, and I felt overwhelmed by its presence. And it showed.

Me and the small team of participants assembled the desk in front of the train station, amid the crowds of commuters. Carrying the desk on our shoulders like pall bearers, we walked in a slow procession through the streets, stopping at significant public service offices to acknowledge the workers under threat.

We were met with offers of help, interested glances and silent affirmations from passers-by, calls of “who died” – to which I replied, “valuable work” – and even heard a few “thank yous”. Some workers shared their concerns openly with us.

These small scenarios were divorced from the normative socio-economic context of value. The performance was demonstrative and inclusive, with an emphasis on creative action, presence and collectivism.