The Bay Area has been at the forefront of many labor movements, such as the San Francisco General Strike in 1934, which played a role that ultimately led to the establishment of Social Security and the 8-hour workday. San Francisco was also the original home of the California Labor School, a cultural hub for the Bay Area's progressive and labor communities during the 1940s and 1950s, which eventually expanded its campuses to Oakland, Berkeley, and Los Angeles.

This exhibition—the first of three—inaugurates our 11th research season focused around the topic of labor. It features archival materials from the San Francisco Labor Archives, including ephemera from the California Labor School, photographs by Otto Hegel and Hansel Mieth, and works by Tania Candiani, Aria Dean, Harun Farocki, Chantal Peñalosa Fong, and Lindsey White. The second gallery features a work by Josh Kline, and serves as a screening room with works by Kenneth Tam, Harun Farocki, Josh Kline, Adelita Husni-Bey, Chantal Peñalosa Fong, Liz Magic Laser, Pedro Reyes, and Rodrigo Valenzuela. A new weaving commission conceptualized by artist Tania Candiani, inspired by a Dorothea Lange photograph, and created by CCA students, debuts on the entrance to CCA, and a musical piece by Luigi Nono plays in the exterior of the Wattis.

Labor is on our mind: 8 Hours of Work, 8 Hours of Rest, 8 Hours of What You Will is organized by Daisy Nam, Diego Villalobos, and Jeanne Gerrity with assistance from Zipporah Hinds. This program is made possible thanks to Teiger Foundation, and the Wattis Leadership Circle. Special thanks to the artists, galleries, and lenders to the exhibition.

Opening Reception: November 8, 2025, 5-7pm

The Wattis Institute's hours of operation are Wednesday - Saturday, 12-6pm.