Museum Guards

In 1996, during a visit to the Los Angeles County Museum, I began talking with museum guards and learned that, with the exception of two 15 minute breaks and a half-hour lunch break, they had to stand all day. They were hired by a private company that required they purchase their own shoes and uniforms, an expense which took them months to pay off. And, because they were employed by a private company rather than the museum, they could not unionize. This 14 part body of work was exhibited in an environment simulating a museum environment including display cases filled with their shoes.