Oriental Rug Looks for a Job (2008)
Oriental Rug Looks for a Job satirizes the stereotypical portrayal of Chinese people as servile doormats. In this video, the titular Rug despondently wanders the city, searching for employment after being fired for punching her former employer. Her musings and presence on the streets of Toronto as a real-life walking rug lampoons the not readily admitted culture of racism in Toronto and in Canada. This video was made in response to Toronto City Councilor Rob Ford’s remarks during a council debate on March 5, 2008 in which he stated that “Oriental people” are taking over Toronto because of their dog-like work ethic.
