PRODUCTIVITY CONTROL SYSTEM
FOR THE LAST SUGAR CANE CUTTER (2015)
Produced in Cuba and The Netherlands
Supported by Stedelijk Museum and Rijksakademie van Beeldende Kunsten, Amsterdam
Interactive video installation
Arduino system, movement detector camera Video, h.264, colour, stereo
video loop
A sugarcane plantation labourer is cutting cane without rest, or so it seems. Once he is no longer under the viewers’ watchful eyes, he will take a break and resume only when and if another viewer enters the screen’s perimeter. The interactive element of this video-work alludes to many Cubans’ indolent nature, who, due to low wages, lack of tools, and government control, are often unmotivated to be productive. On the other hand, many Cubans are still engaged in intensive manual labour due to these factors.
