Working...Not by Diana Berek

All copyrights for the art on this page are owned by the artist, Diana Berek.

Working...Not by Diana Berek

Artist's Statement
Working . . .Not Oil on canvas 1993: 48" x 36
In the years after World War II, America entered a booming, expanding
economy. Jobs were plentiful. But with the development of smaller
and cheaper computer chips, technology began to make it possible for
businesses to replace human labor or to relocate to other parts of
the world where labor was cheaper. Companies began to "downsize".
Suddenly the steel mills and many other factories were closed or
relocated to other countries, ma and pa grocery stores, bakeries,
corner drug stores and bookstores were driven out of business by
large corporate chain stores.

Yesterday you had a good paying job with seniority, healthcare and
retirement benefits, today you don't. The blue collar worker has
been hit hard in the new economy. This painting is about that numb
feeling you have when you've just found out that you're out of a job.

Uptown Multi-Cultural Art Center (UM-CAC). E-mail UM-CAC at umcac@art-teez.org Ph.773/561-7676