Distressed Disney: Gaunt cartoon characters raise awareness of anorexia

updated the 6 October 2015 à 23:35
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Anorexia is a serious issue that plagues children of all ages, so perhaps seeing anorexic Disney idols will change the matter around.

When we think of Disney, our minds are immediately whisked away to the days of our childhood and its association to great memories, lightness and happiness. But at times, childhood for some can be fraught with issues such as depression, abuse or anorexia. Therefore, garnering shock value by re-interpreting strong, beautiful images is a good way to highlight these issues.

For instance, Saint Hoax, a Middle Eastern artist, uses our beloved Disney idols to raise awareness of anorexia, which is a rather serious problem amongst children.

A series of posters depict our beautiful princesses and heroes, such as Snow White, Hercules and the Little Mermaid among others, skeletal in appearance with dull complexion, sunken eyes and worried expressions. At the bottom of each poster, the artist asks a simple question, “Fit for a princess (or hero)? Don’t let anorexia eat you alive”.

The campaign is targeted at children who are suffering with anorexia and other eating disorders. The aim is to encourage them to stop and to prevent any recurrence. As the artist says, “I used Disney princesses because it’s a visual language that my targeted audience would be attracted to”.

These striking depictions of our favourite Disney characters are both shocking and disturbing, which is exactly the reaction that the artist intended to evoke – the attention is grabbed instantly and may essentially urge children to open up about their own issues.

Lindsay POUI-DI


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Marie France Asia, women's magazine