With These Hands: The Story of an American Furniture Factory
When: 8:30 pm Friday, April 9, 2010
Where: Studio Theater, HCC Performing Arts Building
Who: Matt and Cornelia Barr
Tickets: $5
In March 2007, unable to compete with cheaper offshore production, Hooker Furniture Company closed its plant in Martinsville, Virginia, after 83 years in operation.
"With These Hands" follows the last load of kiln-dried wood down the assembly line as it is cut, honed, and assembled into fine furniture.
Along the way, employees at the factory share their perspectives on work, community, and survival in a country devastated by deindustrialization and outsourcing. Their pride in their work and their determination to survive affirm that, despite the current economic climate, we are a country of doers, and our workers are the match of any around the world.
"With These Hands" shows the impact of globalization's "race to the bottom" on skilled workers across America.
Trailer
View a trailer of "With These Hands" (8 min).
The Unheard Voices Project
"With These Hands" was produced by The Unheard Voices Project, a non-profit organization headed by North Carolinians Matt and Cornelia Barr.
The Website
For more information about With These Hands and other films by Cornelia and Matt Barr, please visit the official film website UnheardVoicesProject.org.
Interview With Matt Barr
Matt Barr joins North Carolina Public Radio "State of Things" show host Frank Stasio to share some memorable
moments from the Hooker Case Goods plant's eight decades of history and to talk about the impact of overseas production
on the furniture industry.
Click here to listen.
