Laid-off Food Archive

"The Laid-off Food Archive explores the transformations of post-industrial Northeastern Chinese cities and the impact of industrial decline on the region between 1990 and 2000. Through the lens of food, the project examines the lives and eating habits of millions of workers following the widespread factory closures. While the government portrayed these layoffs as voluntary sacrifices for national progress, it obscured the struggles faced by those who lost their jobs.

Chicken frames are the leftover skeleton of a chicken after most of the meat has been removed. They once symbolised hardship but have become popular street food and play a central role in retelling the workers’ stories. The interactive installation, featuring an archival cabinet of food and interviews with laid-off workers, challenges the government's collectivist narrative, revealing the deliberate concealment of personal tragedy and societal contradictions."