Women Eating on Camera is a live performance and video recording of a series of women eating various food items (snacks). For my graduation show at the Piet Zwart Institute the installation was set up on a mezzanine like a photo shoot, or reality TV set, with a chair, lights, microphone, camera, t-shirts and bags of snacks. It could be watched live by a small audience on the mezzanine. In addition there was a live stream onto a large monitor below the mezzanine which could be seen by audience members as they entered the exhibition space. After the opening night, an edited recording of Women Eating on Camera (pre-recorded version) was played on the monitor.

“Each woman is given a bag full of snacks which she then eats while sitting facing a camera connected to another TV, via which the audience can watch them eating. Some women laugh, others comment or look away from the camera, and sometimes they look indifferent or even bored. Nothing much happens, except for the crunchy sound of the crushing chips, and the women’s body movements and facial expressions.” Federica Bueti

Women Eating on Camera contends with themes including the social constraints on women eating and acting more generally in public, and the gendered morality surrounding pleasure and indulgence. It also considers the ways in which images of women engaging in consumption are used in contemporary society: from tabloid newspapers to YouTube phenomena such as ‘Mukbang’: online audiovisual broadcast, in which a host consumes food while interacting with an audience.

Through a critical mass of women engaged in the act of eating, the work creates a solidarity, not only between the performers but also with audience members, the figure and image of a woman eating creating an unashamed and empowering everyday spectacle.

Women Eating on Camera was adapted for the International Womxn's Day Celebration as part of Slutwalk at WORM, Rotterdam, 2020

Women Eating On Camera, performance, video and live work (2018-2020)