Hunger Artistry: Kafka and the Art of Starvation

Kafka’s “The Hunger Artist” takes its cue from the real fasting performers who until the early years of the twentieth century would starve themselves for the entertainment of paying audiences. The story has been translated into theatre, comic form, animation and a new ballet has been commissioned as part of the Oxford Kafka celebrations. It has also inspired writers, artists and academics to explore the politics and art of starvation in the twentieth century and beyond. This discussion explores the story and its reception from the present day ,in the context of eating disorders hunger strikes and starvation used as a weapon of war.