"Building Site Signs" 1993

Hulme Manchester

A series of interventions in the form of signs which I attached to fences marking the perimeter of building sites. At one stage a builder asked what I was doing. In response I resorted to my pre-prepared script and I explained that I had been asked to put up the "STRICTLY MEN ONLY" signs by management. He was very put out and told me the signs were sexist and that he had only worked with a woman plumber the previous week. In many ways this was a decisive moment for me. It caused me to question the validity of making unannounced public comments and this ultimately led me away from commenting about people and towards working with them.