There have never been as many gyms and fitness enthusiasts as there are today. Fitness has established itself as a popular sport over the last fifty years. The slim, well-trained body is regarded as the prevailing ideal of a performance-orientated society. The idea that a person’s body can be sculpted and is therefore a matter of individual responsibility emerged as early as 1900 with the founding of gymnastics associations and the Lebensreform social movement. From the 1970s onwards, as the world of work changed and heralded the end of traditional industrial jobs, the flexible, fit body became the symbol of a growing middle class and was closely associated with professional success. This ideal is also reflected in metaphors such as “lean government” or “flexible company”. Seemingly attainable to all, the fit body is also becoming a means of socially distinguishing yourself from those perceived as lazy or unfit.
These dumbbells are until March 3, 2026 on display in the exhibition “Milieuthings – Of Class and Taste”.
