Best Art about Work in the Last Year, for Labor Day Gazing and Reflection

Art at work? Well, art portraying work or workers' values and struggles has been going on for centuries, but portraying work in dramatic or readily accessible ways has not been fashionable of late. There are very few moments where a Rockefeller is hiring a Diego Rivera these days. But the expressions pop out and pierce through in spite of all that, sometimes with the modest help of an Service Employees International Union (SEIU) or a MoveOn.org.

Here are five works of art or exhibits that have been named for "2011 Workers' Voice Awards" in Arts category by PopWork USA, a blog that focuses on the intersection of workers and pop culture. Each photo has links to more about each work. The best will be announced in October, but you can give your opinion now in the comments below. For full list of all categories and nominations, click here.

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Credit: Andres Serrano

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AMERICA NOW AND HERE Andres Serrano did a series of portraitures as part of the ambitious traveling art show "America Now and Here" which started in Kansas City, then Detroit and Chicago. An effort ignited by artist Eric Fischl, it seeks to get (some) people to reclaim America and American values differently. Get the scoop on the whole project here.

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AMERICA NOW AND HERE
Andres Serrano did a series of portraitures as part of the ambitious traveling art show "America Now and Here" which started in Kansas City, then Detroit and Chicago. An effort ignited by artist Eric Fischl, it seeks to get (some) people to reclaim America and American values differently. Get the scoop on the whole project here.

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Not Working for Me Viva La Revolution!

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To check out the best films about work, click here.

 

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Comments

[Mike169]

04:38 PM on 09/06/2011

Andres Serrano's last claim to fame was having Alfonse D'Amato rip his picture of "Piss Christ" out of a book and stomp on it while in the podium addressing the Senate. I'm sure the Republicans will find this latest picture equally disturbing since they've been in the unrestricted denigration of unions mood.

[flossophy]

02:10 PM on 09/05/2011

Shouldn't there be a donkey on the last poster?

[Mike169]

05:20 PM on 09/05/2011

No.

[SeanMartin]

08:46 AM on 09/05/2011

I woud definitely encourage all to go to the poster site (#5). Very nice work there.

[eric14]

11:54 AM on 09/05/2011

Thanks. Like you say, very nice work.

[Wyatt Closs]

01:09 PM on 09/05/2011

and the cool part is that the posters are all downloadable so folks can run and plaster in the streets(or house or cubicle or wherever) as much as they like. hope you also to check out my piece on "best films about work" that also just posted. wonder if you have any favorites there?

[SeanMartin]

03:46 PM on 09/05/2011

Wyatt, I cant find it. Can you post a direct link?