On the occasion of International Women's Day I would like to express respect and gratitude to all domestic helpers in Hong Kong.
On Sundays in Central, places and streets are crowded with domestic helpers chatting away cheerfully. This, a brief respite from the usual humdrum of working as cleaners, chefs, childminders, home-carers, dog walkers and so much more during the week.
My project titled ‘At Home’ depicts these women as an integral part of households. Some portraits were taken on Sundays in the populated streets of Central and others at my home. The intent is to show appreciation for domestic helpers wherefore the photographs draw out the inner beauty and pride of each individual woman.
The portraits draw attention to the individuals by way of the white background to give no hint of where the photos were taken nor where these women are from. The complete absence of background invites the audience to contemplate the individual without judgment. The series of portraits are juxtaposed against beloved items from the women’s lives. Photos of embroidery, instruments and rosaries give us glimpses of these women’s dreams and aspirations. In so doing the women become much more nuanced, than by the work of their daily grind.
These photos of domestic helpers are valuable contributions in highlighting that there is always much more to people than we perceive at first glance. This series will be exhibited for International Women’s Day to raise debate on and awareness of the individuality of domestic helpers and their valuable contribution to the fabric of society.
