Judith Shaw Body of Work: The Art of Eating Disorder Recovery

Mad Art Gallery proudly presents Judith Shaw's Body of Work: The Art of Eating Disorder Recovery. This exhibit opens with a free reception on Friday, February 13, 2009, from 7:00 p.m. until 11:00 p.m. and continues through March 2, 2009.

At the age of 53, after living with anorexia for fifteen years, Shaw finally admitted she was anorexic and entered a residential treatment center. Once in treatment, Shaw was given the assignment of producing a written time line of her life highlighting significant events that may have led to her eating disorder. Shaw, finding the assignment to be cliche, ignored the assignment until she developed her own way of responding to the task. Her idea took the form of a life-size, standing paper cut-out of her body titled Running on Empty. The piece did not contain dates or events, yet it revealed how anorexia had become embedded in every cell and every system of her body, dictating every action, every feeling, and every thought she had.

Sculpture then became Shaw's way to express the emotional and mental bondage of her illness. Shaw conceived and created Body of Work during her recovery from anorexia. Shaw's sculpture provided her with the opportunity to reflect on her emotions, relationships, and the events of her life. Well into recovery, a therapist asked Shaw if she were to do another image of herself what it might look like at that point. Shaw recalls always feeling boxy in her body, and being twenty-five pounds heavier by that time, Shaw felt like an even bigger box. Shaw used the metaphor of the box in her art as a way to depict aspects of her illness and recovery. Many of Shaw's sculptures incorporate boxes and other utilitarian containers to deliver her message.

For Shaw, sculpture is more precise than words. Sculptured provides Shaw with a way to record her progress and keeps her engaged in recovery. Shaw also teaches yoga. Shaw uses yoga to heal the negative body images of herself and her students.

Please join us for a free opening reception on Friday, February 13, 2009, from 7:00 p.m. until 11:00 p.m.