Jack Bannerman
Choreographer and Visual Artist

Child's Play - Mixed Media installation

The sexualisation and objectification of underage children in professional level sports is disturbingly normalised. Many sports in the olympics allow for competitors under the age of 18 to participate. Children are grouped together with adults. Despite their age they are more often than not dressed in clothes which are designed for adults. The language used in the commentary to describe the children’s bodies, their performance’s and them as people is justified as part of the competition. And is further validated by the results of winning. Fragments of childhood are presented here within sexually loaded objects, to highlight the shrinking gap between a child and adult in competitive sporting. The audio playing is real commentary from professional sporting events directed to competing athletes aged from 13 upwards.

What is the remainder of a child after they have been involved in these competitions?

Translation on Audio into german:
‘..and she was quite a lot heavier, but really looking trim and fit there’.
‘ …always so sad faced.’
‘ she has done her job’
‘ that’s a world champion’
‘ .. very sexy performance..’
‘.. she oozes sex appeal’
‘ and many viewers will watch and probably say, oh she’s a hefty girl’
‘ok for the dad’s in the audience, she’s 13, and she dance’s like that’