A working-class story

After my chat with Prof. Carl Chinn MBE, I emailed him to ask something I'd forgotten to touch upon in the show. It was about what it means to be working class today.

Sadly, it is now largely associated with low income and a slew of knock-on slurs by establishments that have never experienced how good it can be in working-class communities.

Carl replied by saying:

'Once it was people who did work mostly?with their hands?in factories, mines, and on the land. Today, I would?say?it includes people like?you and me, proud of our roots?and working-class culturally.'

I wanted to share a piece of work with you that I believe has a working class energy. Both in terms of subject matter, and my eye on the world, as a person with working-class roots and values. It is one of several reportage projects, including my book, 'YA MUM and Other Stories from the Backstreets of Britain' and my 'Know What I Mean?' series of found items and incidental moments.

This is a series of illustrations capturing people wearing face masks in Japan, China, and Hong Kong, observed across three trips between 2016 and 2018. Ironically I had no idea of the pandemic just around the corner, but found the masks visually and culturally intriguing.

There was something very levelling about them, and the moments I captured artistically often took place in very humble places with a great buzz of activity; on street corners, in work places, at stations, or near cafes. To me, this mask project removes the unfair stereotyping of the British working class and captures a timeless embodiment of the working class lifestyle, which Carl speaks of.

Since I set foot in art school, I've always been the oddball scratching around in backstreets, desperate to know the story behind a unique moment or item while everyone else focuses on the big tourist landmark. When the story was not attainable, I wrote them myself, which was how 'YA MUM' came about.

Guest reading of 'Traffic Cone' from YA MUM by Craig Black

I was taught to see magic in the muck by parents who knew you didn't need materialistic trophies to find meaning in daily life. To me, that's extremely working class because often, we have no say in the matter!

I'd love to hear your thoughts on the class system, and your experience/perception of the working class, especially its role in the arts.

For Carl's books: https://www.birminghambooks.co.uk/carl_chinn

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The Creative Condition is supported by IllustrationX and Ukrainian Institute