The devastating Bangladesh factory collapse that claimed the lives of more than 1,100 people last month won't soon be forgotten. But one Spanish artist wants to ensure that people also remember the dangerous working conditions and poor safety standards that led to the disaster.
On Tuesday, some pedestrians bore witness to Spanish artist Yolanda Dominguez's statement when they saw the Bangladesh building collapse reenacted before store fronts in Gran Via, Madrid's upscale shopping district.
In the striking piece of performance art, entitled "Fashion Victims," actresses dressed to the nines laid on the ground among fashion accessories and makeshift rubble. As Dominguez notes in a blog post, the reenactment was meant to shed light on the real victims of the fashion industry: the factory employees -- some of them children -- and the millions of others who are affected by pollution from such manufacturing plants.
Dominguez captured crowd reactions to the peculiar sight and later posted the footage on YouTube.
In the video (above), passersby gawk at the bodies and take photos. While most continue on their way, a few edge closer to the "victims." In a brief clip, a woman kneels down to brush faux rubble off one of the actresses and appears to check for a pulse.
Following the April collapse of the eight-story Rana Plaza factory building, which housed several firms that produced goods for global retailers, several people, including the building's owner, were arrested. In the aftermath of the disaster, the Bangladeshi garment industry drew widespread criticism for its substandard working conditions, and international retailers that outsource production to the country were also chastised for their role in the tragedy.
Related
Before You Go
