Today’s work was made in response to an article in a local newspaper about childhood obesity in Scotland. The story sensationalises what is essentially diet advice and support for overweight children and their families; measures akin to Jamie Oliver’s career in patronising the working classes. In my piece, a sculptural triptych, Sainsbury’s herb jars are filled with cut off fat from raw meat, then cast in resin. Another casts bread in a bottle. My supporting text pieces draw from a quote from the article in which a doctor described the situation as an “absolute horror”. This emotive, fearmongering language was quoted and developed with phrases of my own.
The ‘epidemic’ of obesity is a misnomer – proposing itself as a conversation on widespread, community issues, so rarely does it actually address this. Instead, we see the health problems of individuals discussed, fixed and applauded in every type of media outlet. The body is asserted as a site of personal accountability. Circumstance goes unchecked. The children referred to these weight loss programs are unlikely to be the children of middle class parents, who can afford the childcare that makes the difference between a ten minute Iceland pizza or pinterest-derived freshly prepared family meal. The families that can afford the likes of cherry tomatoes and extra-curricular leisure centre trips are unlikely to end up being educated on the appropriate uses of their money and time, that’s a privilege of the poor – the class lacking in both of the above.
The class element to weight issues is something noted upon by Susie Orbach in her book Bodies. Here, she writes: “When a body or facial characteristics locate the individual in a disadvantaged group, then specific characteristics engender stigma or disdain. At which point an industry arises to offer the transformation of those physical markers as a way out of the designation.” It is with this in mind that I present the argument for obesity as a symptom, rather than the problem itself.
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