The Work Office, located in NYC, was a temporary art project, “disguised as an employment agency.” Organized by Katarina Jerinic and Naomi Miller, the project was inspired by the 1930’s Works Progress Administration (WPA) which employed thousands of people during the Depression. Jerinic and Miller translated the idea of “making work” by setting up an art gallery/work center to hire local artists to complete certain tasks.
Challenges such as ‘giving a concert for your houseplant’ or ‘recording an oral history’ were issued weekly to utilize the artists’ skills while offering them a small wage. For each completed task, artists were given a paycheck in line with Depression era salaries. At the end of each week, the Work Office hosted Payday parties that served to issue checks and share the artwork produced by each challenge.
This is the best kind of community art project, one that spins and spreads to encompass a web of participants. The project started in 2009 and ran again in 2010. I hope they get funding to continue their work this year as well.
Artist Credits
Top Image: Sarah Nicole Phillips: Curbside Object Status Tag, Challenge: Document a Need for Repairs
Bottom image: Lori Nelson: Souvenirs of a Recession, Challenge: Record and Oral History
