Life of Guangzhou - Migrant Workers Share Olympic Pleasure thru Art

An artist had 5 migrant workers modeled the painting for his works. With the money he raised by selling the paintings, he bought some tickets for the workers to access to the Beijing Olympics.

He is Su Jian, a 39-year old painter and teacher in Guangzhou. "The migrant workers participated in setting up the Olympics, but few of them are able to watch the Games." Su said, "I want to do something for them, in my own way."

"It's a square deal by giving them the tickets. It's not that I favored pity on them." he stressed that in his words.

The painting "Them" on a travelling bag. (Guangzhou Daily)

Su started his works last summer. However, when he arrived in Beijing, the most representing projects like the Bird's Nest and the Water Cube had already finished. He eventually found an ongoing project—the Beijing National Olympic Green and that’s where he met the 5 workers in question and composed his painting.

"I know that there are plenty of migrant workers in Guangzhou as well. I could paint them too. But I felt that it would be more real and expressive if I paint those very people who built the Olympic stadiums."

In the light of the same contention, he painted on a travelling bag made from plastic and gunny, instead of canvas. "Because travelling bags is a living necessity of the migrant workers and thus symbolize their identity and living conditions." Su explained.

The painting named "Them" was worth over 30,000 yuan.

At the very beginning, some people believed that Su was just doing performance art. The migrant workers, on the other hand, considered it as a joke when Su promised that he would buy them Olympic tickets.

While he was a little disturbed by such skepticism, Su conscientiously made his commitment. He even went so far as to look for free accommodation provided by volunteers, through the Internet, for those five workers during the Olympics.

"I hope such modest little house rather than luxurious hotel rooms will make them feel like home." said Su.

The five migrant workers were eventually convinced that the practice of being models and watching the Olympics were not just empty words, and four of them accepted Su's idea.

Su Jian (Front Right) and 5 migrant workers. (Guangzhou Daily)

46-year-old Yun Fangzhi is from central China’s Henan province, "It's so nice, even though it's not a basketball game, which is my favorite." He also said, "I'd love to see an event where Chinese wins gold."

However, one of the five, Wang Hongtao turned down Su's offer as he could not afford to be away from work.

Thankfully, the rest workers could be ears and eyes for their workmates. “We would call them or send them a text message when we see great things."

In addition, Su Jian had bought digital cameras for each of the lucky workers. He said that a follow-up exhibition could be made, if the photos they take during the Games could reveal the migrant workers' feelings of the event.

(By Yang Quanquan and Stephen Roach)