Have you seriously considered the issue of labour? When I came to Canada from China, I felt a lot of cultural differences and gaps. What impressed me the most was the Chinese delivery industries, they were really fast. When I was confused, my friend told me that it was because of the large population of China, which caused fierce competition in the industry and made labour very cheap. Since then I have seriously considered the value of labour, and what is the standard for measuring the value of labour. However, Cheap! Diligent! Faithful! also makes people think about the same question. 

Cheap!Diligent!Faithful! Was created by Vancouver print artist Marlene Yuen’s through many years of exploration and thinking about the history of Chinese Canadian labourers. Marlene Yuen’s work is not only expressed in paper form, she also displays his rigorous and meticulous craftsmanship on the wall. Her exhibitions fully demonstrated the history of Chinese Canadian workers that have been known and ignored by everyone, which can unconsciously arouse people’s thinking. She used her ingenious production ability to depict the trivialities and details of their life experiences, and she expresses the complexity of immigration and labour through her works.

Of course, the most important thing to understand a person’s work is to know about the person. According to her personal profile, Marlene Yuen is a multidisciplinary artist. She produced her exhibitions in many countries. Her current focus is on her handmade books. In addition to her current focus on protecting the Chinese labour force, her latest book is exploring the last printing shop in Vancouver. If you want to learn more about Yuen’s information or her exhibits, please visit grunt.ca. This exhibit displays in the Grunt Gallery until December 12, 2020. If you are interested, please come and visit now.