Clocking In for Unpaid Labour pop-up exhibition turns timecards into artworks, August 22 to 24
The show is the result of workshops held across the country
Various artists’ works at Clocking In for Unpaid Labour.
The Burnaby Arts Council presents Clocking In for Unpaid Labour at Deer Lake Gallery from August 22 to 24
TIMECARDS ARE AN almost obsolete way for workers to clock their paid hours, but now a group of artists is using them to record something else: their hours of unpaid or undervalued labour.
The project, and its 150-plus timecards, is the result of months of creation and dialogue with artists from seven provinces and one territory. Since 2023, workshops have been held everywhere from the Richmond Art Gallery to the Canadian Museum for Human Rights in Winnipeg. The panels integrate a range of media, from collage to textiles, with plenty of text.
Seventy-three of the timecard artworks, tackling issues such as women’s unpaid labour, will be on view, as well as larger pieces echoing the themes of this show: pop-up curators Jennie Johnston and Shamina Senaratne both have installations, as does Alberta artist Vivian Smith.
Free public workshops happen on August 23 and 24 from noon to 5 pm, where pre-registered participants can create their own timecard artworks.
And watch for a larger exhibition of the complete collection of timecards in January 2026. 
Works at Clocking In for Unpaid Labour.
Related Articles
