On a sunny summer afternoon in Dolores Park, a bottle scavenger in a red cardigan picked her way through the partying crowd. She was minding her business, which is picking bottles. She wove in and out of techno dancers and picnickers, barely given notice. When acknowledged, she was identified as one of the others. That is, one of the immigrant working poor, and given bottles.
The work featured in “Unsettlers” attempts not only to regain sight of those who we have learned to unsee, but to take the next step and unsettle distance(s), ask for a personal story, and perhaps even get into complicated situations for doing so. This video only exemplifies the first step towards regaining our vision.
Dedicated to the hard working Chinese lady in the red cardigan, whose personal story I don’t know, and who might not like this video at all. (August 17, 2014, Mission District, San Francisco.)