Prior to the online Tate Talk of Mikhail Karikis chaired by Jonathan Harris, art historian and head of the Birmingham School of Art, I researched Karikis. One of his works stood out to me. The Chalk Factory (2017), based in a factory in Japan, Karikis was inspired by the protests of the workers over the dismissal of 2 teenagers with learning disabilities from the site. The work stood out to me because I work part-time in a place that manufactures products and delivers them to supermarkets around the country. I’m interested in how other workers are portrayed in different continents with similar types of jobs.

The Chalk Factory – www.vimeo.com/239142091

I found the thematic of The Chalk Factory similar to Cao Fei’s Whose Utopia (2006), based at a factory in China. Both the works connect with the quote from Karikis’ website, ‘Potential to imagine possible/desired futures of self determination and potency.’ The works both push towards making these workplaces a better place, a place that values inclusion, and giving back power to the workers, including the alienated workers and workers with disabilities.

Excerpt of Whose Utopia – www.vimeo.com/412341500

Karikis’ practice however, is very different from my own practice because he mainly collaborates with others and has an established social practice.