Misconceive

The Bodi (or Me’en) tribe of Ethiopia’s Omo Valley practices the Kael ceremony, an annual competition where men strive to have the biggest belly, seen as a sign of beauty and status. For six months prior, contestants consume a diet of cow’s milk and blood to gain weight, limiting their physical activity. The man with the largest belly is celebrated with great fame and admiration.

The artist sculpted this piece to brings attention to these indigenous tribes to support his argument that beauty should be credited based on the amount of sacrifice people put in to achieve it and not to be subjected to the “eye of the beholder.” 

This work subtly invites curiosity, as many viewers who are unaware of this tribe mistake it for a role reversal between a man and a woman, raising arguments in their minds.