Exploitation

Exploitation. Intaglio, Chine-Collé. 45cm x 45cm. 2022. 

Exploitation is the ninth print in my artist's book. During my most recent trip to Paraguay (2018) I went to a public presentation in my home town about the 'Neighbourhood Assistance Program' (referring to financial aid given to indigenous communities by the Menno Colony). What stood out positively to me was an appeal by the speaker, that employers get to know and befriend their employees on a personal level, to show an honest interest in their family life and their well being. What also became evident during the presentation was, that indigenous people are never viewed as anything more than labourers. To think of the possibility that they achieve a higher education or to occupy political or administrative positions in mainstream society appears to be beyond the settler communities' imagination. 

The print depicts a large cattle herd pressing forward that dominates the image. Cattle ranching has taken over large parts of the Chaco and contributes to the displacement of indigenous communities. Also, indigenous labourers are frequently employed in the cattle ranching industry: they build the fences; they tend to the cattle; they work on maintaining the pastures by clearing bush and brush; they also predominantly work in the meat processing plants, and as far as I know most of this is done for minimum wage. While there are labour laws in place now, when the settlers first arrived, much of the work for the Mennonites was done in exchange for food or clothes. The settler community prides itself very much for their work ethic and all they have achieved in building a lucrative export industry of beef and dairy that has brought them much wealth and a high living standard. However, much of this success and wealth has been achieved through the exploitation of cheap indigenous labour throughout the past 95 years and a system of exploitation that is based on a deep seated sense of white supremacy.