THE WALL HANGINGS
The Solitary Eater
The Solitary Eater sits alone in front of the TV. Though a meal of sorts is prepared, it is eaten straight out of the saucepan with a spoon, in what Bajans would describe as “holding a low gear”. The infomercial suggests a late night; the dead plant suggests that the eater is seldom home.
The Anorexic Eater
The plate form itself is thin and narrow, rather than round like the others. Eating occurs in a prison haunted by specters of fat people, while the plate, sharp-edged and sparsely filled, is set at a table over an open pit. The seat of the stool, covered with fractured mirror glass emphasizes the discomfort of sitting down to dine.
The Fast Food Eater
The table is littered with the remains of snacks and meals on the go. On the TV, ads seduce viewers to eat more fast food, while outside the window, enticing signs flash and beckon, advertising the ready availability and desirability of takeout.
The Bulimic Eater
It is three a.m. and the fridge door is wide open. The shelf extends out into a table, providing the opportunity to eat through the contents of the entire fridge. No special kind of food is privileged; the challenge resides in the stealth and the amount consumed. The inevitable bathroom lurks in the background.
The Alcoholic Eater
The bottle casts a large shadow. Regular food is of little concern, either from lack on interest, lack of hunger or an permanently upset stomach. The day’s social drinks are on the table. In keeping with the idea of concealment that accompanies addiction, this piece becomes a treasure hunt for all the places that bottles are to be found.
The Weight Watcher
Measurement (pounds, dress sizes, portion sizes, body parts), awareness and control are key to the program’s success. This piece shows the various components that are vital to the success of the Weight Watcher, from meetings, literature and a range of commercial products to the omnipotent scale. The tape measure at the perimeter shows inches accumulating ever more quickly as the numbers rise.
THE COOKIE JARS
The Solitary Eater
This “jar” consists of boxes selected at random for snacking purposes. It is in the nature of some Solitary Eaters to eat whatever is to hand, with perhaps not much consideration as to how they go together, or to any particular order of eating.
The Anorexic Eater
Fashioned after the androgynous physical body type of the anorexic, the entire figure jar is actually an knob on the lid of the tiny vessel at the base. The top above the shoulders comes off, but it is a trick lid. The real receptacle below, big enough to fit a rice-cake or a tiny cookie is lined with crushed glass for an added deterrent.
The Fast Food Eater
Since the Fast Food Eater is more likely to buy cookies as needed rather than keep them tidily on the kitchen counter in a jar, the open-mouthed bag serves as an appropriate jar. The slogan of the take-out company, “ You haven’t cooked in so long, the gas company thinks you’re dead!” actually happened to a friend of mine who hadn’t cooked in years.
The Bulimic Eater
The Bulimic Eater's jar is set up as a roulette wheel reflecting the challenge, at every food encounter, of what and how much to eat, and what to do afterwards. On one side the arrow tells you how many cookies to eat. If you don’t like the answer, you may spin the other side on the “Wheel of Misfortune”. One more spin delivers an instruction card. Instructions range from “Walk five miles in rain” to “Eat 10 cookies. Throw up.”
The Alcoholic Eater
Taking the idea of concealment as its point of departure, this “jar” is actually a series of four nesting pieces. The outermost vessel is a traditional cookie jar, with a standard pattern and label. It conceals the rum bottle, typical in every way, save for the deflecting post-it, proclaiming “cookies!” The rum bottle hides the beer can, which shelters the smallest piece, a tiny bottle of Jack Daniels.
The Weight Watcher
With the philosophy of being allowed to eat anything in controlled measure, the Weight Watcher Kitchen Jar is fashioned after the bubble-gum dispenser, which dispenses the same amount every time. The small hole at the top ensures that it can only be loaded with tiny morsels, while at the bottom access is controlled by a warning finger and watchful eye. Each side represents one of the two plans – Flex or Core – and is linked at the back by the dreaded Exercise.
The Solitary Eater
The Solitary Eater sits alone in front of the TV. Though a meal of sorts is prepared, it is eaten straight out of the saucepan with a spoon, in what Bajans would describe as “holding a low gear”. The infomercial suggests a late night; the dead plant suggests that the eater is seldom home.
The Anorexic Eater
The plate form itself is thin and narrow, rather than round like the others. Eating occurs in a prison haunted by specters of fat people, while the plate, sharp-edged and sparsely filled, is set at a table over an open pit. The seat of the stool, covered with fractured mirror glass emphasizes the discomfort of sitting down to dine.
The Fast Food Eater
The table is littered with the remains of snacks and meals on the go. On the TV, ads seduce viewers to eat more fast food, while outside the window, enticing signs flash and beckon, advertising the ready availability and desirability of takeout.
The Bulimic Eater
It is three a.m. and the fridge door is wide open. The shelf extends out into a table, providing the opportunity to eat through the contents of the entire fridge. No special kind of food is privileged; the challenge resides in the stealth and the amount consumed. The inevitable bathroom lurks in the background.
The Alcoholic Eater
The bottle casts a large shadow. Regular food is of little concern, either from lack on interest, lack of hunger or an permanently upset stomach. The day’s social drinks are on the table. In keeping with the idea of concealment that accompanies addiction, this piece becomes a treasure hunt for all the places that bottles are to be found.
The Weight Watcher
Measurement (pounds, dress sizes, portion sizes, body parts), awareness and control are key to the program’s success. This piece shows the various components that are vital to the success of the Weight Watcher, from meetings, literature and a range of commercial products to the omnipotent scale. The tape measure at the perimeter shows inches accumulating ever more quickly as the numbers rise.
THE COOKIE JARS
The Solitary Eater
This “jar” consists of boxes selected at random for snacking purposes. It is in the nature of some Solitary Eaters to eat whatever is to hand, with perhaps not much consideration as to how they go together, or to any particular order of eating.
The Anorexic Eater
Fashioned after the androgynous physical body type of the anorexic, the entire figure jar is actually an knob on the lid of the tiny vessel at the base. The top above the shoulders comes off, but it is a trick lid. The real receptacle below, big enough to fit a rice-cake or a tiny cookie is lined with crushed glass for an added deterrent.
The Fast Food Eater
Since the Fast Food Eater is more likely to buy cookies as needed rather than keep them tidily on the kitchen counter in a jar, the open-mouthed bag serves as an appropriate jar. The slogan of the take-out company, “ You haven’t cooked in so long, the gas company thinks you’re dead!” actually happened to a friend of mine who hadn’t cooked in years.
The Bulimic Eater
The Bulimic Eater's jar is set up as a roulette wheel reflecting the challenge, at every food encounter, of what and how much to eat, and what to do afterwards. On one side the arrow tells you how many cookies to eat. If you don’t like the answer, you may spin the other side on the “Wheel of Misfortune”. One more spin delivers an instruction card. Instructions range from “Walk five miles in rain” to “Eat 10 cookies. Throw up.”
The Alcoholic Eater
Taking the idea of concealment as its point of departure, this “jar” is actually a series of four nesting pieces. The outermost vessel is a traditional cookie jar, with a standard pattern and label. It conceals the rum bottle, typical in every way, save for the deflecting post-it, proclaiming “cookies!” The rum bottle hides the beer can, which shelters the smallest piece, a tiny bottle of Jack Daniels.
The Weight Watcher
With the philosophy of being allowed to eat anything in controlled measure, the Weight Watcher Kitchen Jar is fashioned after the bubble-gum dispenser, which dispenses the same amount every time. The small hole at the top ensures that it can only be loaded with tiny morsels, while at the bottom access is controlled by a warning finger and watchful eye. Each side represents one of the two plans – Flex or Core – and is linked at the back by the dreaded Exercise.
