4870
Keywords: Social Phenomena, Hand Craft, Filipino Domestic Maids in Hong Kong
Hong Kong, 2023
Group work with: Wang Shuxin Yan
This work highlights the social issues faced by Filipino domestic servants in contemporary Hong Kong. The mop is composed of hair and a wooden stick. They show the contrast of the phenomenon of Filipino domestic servants. What is considered a stable job in their own country but is not glamorous in society? We want to raise awareness of this vulnerable group, but strong, obvious issues through the museum object. Make people pay attention and give them more respect.
Social Background:
Initial observation revealed Filipino domestic workers engaging in communal grooming and recreational activities on their day off, a contrast to their workday presentation. Subsequent research identified them as "Sunday girls," who utilize their single weekly day off for personal care and to prepare for periodic beauty pageants.
This phenomenon raised questions about their working conditions. The investigation uncovered demanding circumstances: a standard 16-hour workday, comprehensive household duties, and a minimal official salary of HKD 4,870 — significantly lower than those of other local service jobs.
Notably, many workers are highly educated young women. Their choice to work abroad as domestic helpers is strongly encouraged by the Philippine government, which benefits from the foreign exchange remittances (50%-70% of their income) and labels them national "heroines." This systemic push, while potentially beneficial at macroeconomic and familial levels, confines individual aspirations. The vibrant Sunday gatherings thus represent a crucial reclaiming of personal identity and freedom within a constrained reality.
We take the photos of the Sunday Girls dressing each other up.
Creating Process:
We divided the mop into “hair” and “wooden stick” parts during the production process for modification, and then made the final combination.
Hair:
- Firstly, referring to the joyful atmosphere of Filipino domestic helpers braiding hair and singing and dancing on Sundays, we decorated the original hair with ribbons and pearls in a festive mood.
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Record audio of Filipino domestic helpers gathering on Sunday, edit it in Logic
Pro, and put it via an Arduino device into the hair.
- Draw the Philippine flag at the connection between the hair and the stick
Wooden Stick:
- Firstly, create scratches on the surface of the wooden stick to represent the wound, and engrave the artwork name "4870" at the top.
- Writing personal information for Filipino domestic service recruitment websites.
- Nail their CV information onto the wooden stick to represent the pressure of work
Final Outcome:
3F, Run Run Shaw, City University of Hong Kong, 2025