“Binge Watch—On Performances of Excessive Eating” is written by Lydia Horne, explores the concept of binge-watching by exploring the works of Kim Ye and Laura Ohio. The text initiates a discussion on the fascination with and discomfort around taboo topics like self-harm, domestic violence, and excessive consumption.

The artist Kim Ye, who performs eating as a graphic act, challenges traditional notions of eating for pleasure or sustenance. Ye’s work generates feelings of revulsion and fascination, especially in the way she appears to enjoy the act of binging.

In the work of the artist Laura Ohio, who eats a lobster every day for ten consecutive days in her video installation “Les Petites Morts,” Ohio’s performance blurs the lines between voyeurism and exhibition, challenging viewers’ expectations and creating an unsettling atmosphere.

Here’s an excerpt from the article:

In her 2010 film Gastro Porno, artist Kim Ye performs “eating as a graphic act.” As the camera pans her face and mouth, Ye slowly examines balls of meat, a black “century” egg, and large translucent tapioca balls. An acoustic version of Britney Spears’ “Toxic” by Yael Naim plays. The four-minute video reaches a crescendo when Ye finally takes a bite, and the century egg bursts to release a creamy grayish yolk that slides down Ye’s chin. The momentum continues: a disembodied hand shoves meatballs into Ye’s mouth until she’s stuffed. Later she sticks out her tongue to reveal tapioca balls that create a honeycomb-like visual with ominous, dark holes. And then? Ye begins spitting everything out, all while maintaining her unwavering stare into the camera. [read more]