SHOES FROM VIETNAM
In 2001 Yrjö Tuunanen (b. 1964), together with the journalist Elina Grundström, visited a Vietnamese shoe factory, which produces footwear for the Finish market. On this trip, commissioned by their client, they saw young and smiling workers in brand new clothing. Later in the year they returned unannounced to collect supplementary material. Although the outward circumstances had not changed, the atmosphere in the factory had become chilly. The workers no longer had time to receive their visitors: work had to be done. Things from third world countries that are marketed in the West as ‘clean’ fair trade products are also merchandise made during long days and under bad circumstances.
