From October 8, 2010 till May 8, 2011 the Dr Guislain Museum in Ghent (Belgium) presents the exhibition ‘The weighty body’. It shows the fascinating ways in which humans have been dealing with their own bodily appearance. The central theme is a history of fasting. Why do people abstain from food? Are their motives personal or aesthetic, religious or financial? When do we speak of a deranged relation to one’s own body? The exhibition is centered around four major themes: (1) the elevated body or fasting and religion; (2) the body in politics and ideology; (3) body aesthetics and eating disorders; (4) the future of the body and medical technology. The accompanying catalogue (in three languages: Dutch, French & English) is lavishly illustrated. More information, click here.