Justitia

Justitia

The statue of Justitia or "Lady Justice" is quite well known in the context of law and order.
With her sword in one hand, the unbalanced scale in the other and (at least depicted till the 15th century) her blindfolded eyes, she symbolizes objective, thus blind justice and condemnation.

In my interviews with several women, who wanted to take part in my project, I found one strong parallel in almost every life story these women had to tell:
Many of them suffered from eating disorders or still do.
The scale determines their lives, each day waking up, measuring the body weight, the mood of the day is determined by the what the scales read.
Its not fair, but who is to blame? Oneself? Media? Childhood? It doesnt matter.
Its a crime to the body that is committed every day by the mind and at same time it's condemnation to the body - without justice.

The position of the woman in this picture is a strong one, just like the statue, the viewer looks up to her. But its not her judging someone else. She is judge, victim and executioner to herself. And she is never objective.
For me, in this context the blindfolded eyes could symbolize the wish to be finally blind to what the scale shows, as well as it could symbolize that she is blind to what is more important - her health and her inner person. The kitchen knife is easily redirected to her own body, to cut away what is too much. The scale is friend and enemy at the same time.

My first thoughts were to take a photo in front of the court building. But I realised, that an eating disorder is not a crime one can run to court with, its not judgeable or expiated by any other person but oneself. This crime is committed inside your own four walls - the place you live or, metaphorically seen, your head.
Thats why I chose to create a kindof exaggerated, thus restless and uneasy livingroom atmosphere. The wallpaper is kind of irritating, its not a room to rest in.
In the photo I didnt want the woman to be naked. I also wanted to have a reference to the dress of the original statue. I could have chosen a very light cloth for example to make a toga from it, but I wanted to put the (almost naked) body in the center of the picture, because it just is all about the body.
I chose a bikini, because on a hot summers day in the eyes of an onlooker you are perfectly dressed. Underwear, which is by form and weight similar to a bikini and in which you weigh yourself in the morning, stays what it is every time of the year and it would always mean a state of being naked, if you only wore underwear.