Boulwarism

This exhibition focuses on the present moment in the lives of the unemployed and under employed, globally. Boulwarism is a term coined after one-time General Electric Vice President of Labor and Community Relations, Lemuel Boulware, who developed a take-it-or-leave-it negotiating tactic in union disputes. Concentrating on “problem industries,” those industries with the worst track record in regards to fair labor practices, Boulwarism takes as a point of departure the materials associated with these problem industries: the garment industry, electronic manufacturing and recycling, the cut flower industry, farming, diamond mining, the brick and cement industry and the fast food industry, utilizing those raw materials to make objects reflecting recent workers struggle with unemployment, under employment or unfair labor practices. This worker struggle can be seen in opposition to the need for industries to produce and create a respectable and consumable image/brand in order to sell their wares. Through a series of brand tags/company labels PLMA offers its own brand/company logo to be attached to images and objects of struggle in order to sell its own ideas about protests, labor struggle and regulations, industry and branding.