Art exhibition shows Hong Kong cleaners’ resilience, struggles and pursuit of happiness

The scarecrow was part of “Gritty Realm”, an art exhibition held in Sham Shui Po. About 30 cleaners joined expressive art therapy workshops and shared their stories through photography, videos and installations.

“They all expressed the same message: [they want] respect and an end to discrimination,” said Liu Kwok-hong, who was the curator for the exhibition.

Hong Kong’s outdoor cleaners struggle in the heat

Liu shared some of the stories he heard from the cleaners. One worker sweeps leaves in Repulse Bay; he described how he walked by someone, who covered their nose in disgust. Another cleaner is responsible for garbage disposal at a residential block; this person mentioned how some residents would carelessly toss out trash. This makes their job more difficult.

“The workers talked about how even brief interactions with residents make a difference. When residents show respect and handle their trash properly, it eases their burden,” said Liu, who specialises in community art.

The exhibition also had more than 20 workshops where cleaners led visitors through the displays. One of these tour guides was Sun*. He is an outsourced cleaner who works with the pest and rodent control team in the Central and Western district.

“As long as I’m able, I’m happy to help. That’s why I became an outsourced cleaner – my goal is to serve the community,” shared Sun, who is in his late 60s.

The exhibition showed a photography series called “Song of the Cleaners”. Each photo tries to tell the cleaner’s personal story.

To create the photo series, Liu visited the homes of each worker to understand their lives.

The pictures show the workers in their uniforms, with cleaning tools in their homes. This is meant to make audiences look more closely because it is surprising to see their work tools in their home. Liu wanted to show how this job could affect a cleaner’s self-worth.

“When people see cleaners on the street, they often see them only ... cleaning streets or toilets. They don’t think about ... their life stories,” he said.

“By bringing these tools into their homes, I wanted to show that [this view] ... also influences how they perceive their own value.”

Why cleaners are teaching students about responsible waste disposal

Liu hopes that people don’t just think of cleaners for their work but as humans with their own goals and stories.

One picture is of a cleaner who was once a master at a fabric factory and now cleans in an industrial building. In the photo, she is looking at an old photo album, and the clothes she made are in the background. Now, at 75, her children have grown up, and she lives on her own.

At first, she struggled to accept her cleaning job. But over time, she became proud of her work.

Liu added: “She still enjoys dressing up and looking her best. Of the many photos taken of her, [this] one ... perfectly captures her life’s story.”

To test your understanding of this story, download our printable worksheet or answer the questions in the quiz below.