I am a worker, and also a cultural constructor: factory art practices and the construction of labor identity in twentieth-century China

This article examines the artistic practices of Chinese factory workers in the twentieth century, focusing on predominantly visual artworks that represented labor conditions, fostered class consciousness, and constructed worker identities. It argues that factory art functioned not only as a tool for political propaganda and class education but also as a space for workers to express subjectivity and negotiate identity. Drawing on primary sources, including factory archives, propaganda posters, murals, and workers’ photography, the study employs historical and visual culture analysis to trace the evolution of factory art from the 1950s to the 1990s. The findings show that through participatory artistic creation, workers shifted from ‘passive producers’ to ‘active cultural constructors,’ forming labor identities that encompassed both collective and individual dimensions. This process highlights art’s value as a ‘living archive’ of labor history. The article demonstrates that the transformation of factory art reflects changing political and economic contexts while revealing the logic of workers’ subjective practices, offering a cross-disciplinary framework for labor culture studies and deepening understanding of the social and cultural roles of the Chinese working class.