China’s Jia Zhang-Ke unfurls his new documentary, “Useless” (Wu Yong). Named after a fashion label Chinese Designer Ma Ke, this documentary sets Ma Ke’s preparation of her ‘Useless’ label at the Paris Fashion show. However, Jia’s film does more than just showcases Ma Ke. Through her vision — Fashion as conceptual Art — Jia juxtaposes the Labor-Production aspect of Fashion with that of the High-End Designer Label consumerism aspect of Fashion.
Jia’s style allows a meditative look at the China that is the largest exporter of garments in the world, and the cottage industry that is fulfilling domestic demands. Contrasting the large-scale production in Guangdong (that is aimed at export), the Globally-recognized designer label store, and the neighborhood seamstress shop in a coal-mining town, Jia creates triptych in tension, visually and economically, by forcing us to consider Fashion as a utilitarian necessity, as a status symbol and as conceptual art. Mildly propagandic, Jia’s first 15 minutes exposes worker conditions and medical welfare of a regulated garment factory, showing what would be equitable conditions, and those of small neighbourhood tailors and seamstresses barely eking out a living.
Yet, there are poignant moments; an interview with a former tailor turned coal miner expresses his “bottom rung” view of the garment industry has swollen to a state where he can no longer compete, and that of the coal miner who have the The film presents the undeniable truth that Consumerism and monetary values have long supplanted the value of human artistic creativity.
Combining the styles of Reportage and that of a visual meditation, Jia’s film ultimately celebrates the utilitarian value of Fashion over that which serves as commercial markers of status, lingering over the garments of workers, made by the local tailor rather than those of major fashion labels displayed in the gleaming shop-fronts of the modernized Chinese cities.
A thought provoking piece, well worth the watch.
Last Screening is on Thursday, Oct 4th 3:30pm
Empire Granville 7 Theatre 2
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