Copyright %C2%A9 Rowan Pope
A Hunger Artist, 2013
Ethan Rowan Popeexpand_more
Graphite on paperexpand_more
Gift of funds from Miriam and Erwin Kelen and proceeds from the Minneapolis Print and Drawing Fairexpand_more 2017.18
Not on Viewexpand_more
This disturbing image is inspired by Franz Kafka’s dark story A Hunger Artist, which follows a performer, a kind of circus freak show, whose act, or art, is starving himself. He travels from town to town, fasting in a cage for 40 days. There is a routine to his performances. Townspeople watch him closely as the fast progresses to starvation. At the end, a crowd gathers to see him emerge from his cage on the brink of death. An impresario directs his ceremonious unveiling, along with the orchestra, the crowd, and the presentation of his first meal.
The surreal story is brought vividly to life in Rowan Pope’s almost photographic rendering. It is easy to forget you are looking at a pencil drawing, or an imagined world. The artist uses the narrative to examine a range of human emotion and presents a chilling view of humanity. The sneers, the elation, the voyeurism, the schadenfreude, as well as the fear and suffering place the viewer on edge.
Details
- Title
- A Hunger Artist
- Artist Life
- born 1980
- Role
- Artist
- Accession Number
- 2017.18
- Provenance
- The artist, St. Paul; sold to MiIA, 2017.
- Curator Approved
This record is from historic documentation and may not have been reviewed by a curator, so may be inaccurate or incomplete. Our records are frequently revised and enhanced. If you notice a mistake or have additional information about this object, please email collectionsdata@artsmia.org.
Does something look wrong with this image? Let us know
Zoom in on the left to the detail you'd like to save. Click 'Save detail' and wait until the image updates. Right click the image to 'save image as' or copy link, or click the image to open in a new tab.
Copyright © Rowan Pope