Jip van der Heijden

Down Your Throat is an installation about ARFID (Avoidant/Restrictive Food Intake Disorder), an eating disorder in which certain foods can be experienced as unsafe or unbearable. With ARFID, it is not simply a matter of “not liking” something; food can trigger feelings of anxiety, disgust, or physical resistance.

To convey this experience, seven ceramic plates were created featuring elements that are often considered unpleasant or repulsive, such as eyes, insects, cigarette butts, and chewed gum. The tableware retains its original function, yet simultaneously evokes aversion. This creates a tension between something that is meant to be eaten from and something that should be avoided, the same tension that someone with ARFID may experience.

A short film accompanies the installation and reinforces the feelings of disgust, social isolation, and sensory overload that eating can cause for people with ARFID. It offers a visual interpretation of an experience that often remains invisible to the outside world. By distorting everyday objects and making them uncomfortable, the work invites visitors to reflect on the way food may be perceived by someone living with ARFID.

The installation also invites visitors to experience a small part of ARFID for themselves. What is an ordinary plate of food for most people can feel, to someone with ARFID, like something that is impossible to swallow, something that simply cannot be forced down your throat.