The Art of Not

The play is inspired by Franz Kafka's short story ‘The Artist of Hunger’, translated by Thodoris Tsomidis and adapted by MASH (Katerina Anastasiou & Christos Kapenis). It is a physical and existential exploration of the story of the hunger artist, who refuses sustenance as the ultimate form of self-expression. 

The hero of the work dedicates his life to the art of fasting; he is exhibited in public performances, locked in a cage, while the crowd watches with admiration the gradual exhaustion of his body.

The music and sound of the performance do not simply serve as background but are an integral part of the narrative. In a world that consumes images and idolizes spectacle, the performance proposes a radical return to the nakedness of the theater: the performer, alone and exposed, creates a world of their own, where emptiness—emptiness as artistic imprint, as inner truth, and as a space for interaction with the audience—becomes the cutting edge of the experience.

The «hunger artists» were historical figures with public appearances in Europe and America from the 17th to the early 20th century, when prolonged fasting was presented as a spectacle to be consumed. The performance engages with this reality, incorporating references to real hunger artists into its dramaturgy, illuminating the boundaries between art, the body, exploitation, and the need for recognition.

From Saturday, March 7, 2026, and every Saturday at 9:00 PM at Steehos Space

(Limited number of performances)

Duration 70’

Stage Coefficients:

Author: Franz Kafka 

Translation: Thodoris Tsomidis 

Adaptation, Dramatic Adaptation, DirectionChristos Kapenis & Katerina Anastasiou (MASH)

Interpretation Christos Kapenis 

Music Composition, Soundscape Katerina Antoniou

Supplemental Music Composition: Jeph Vanger

Visual Sound Installation Jason Koutsouris  

Stage area Stamatis Leontios

Lighting design, Custom fabrication MASH

External partners Grigoris Hatzakis (Ginger Creepers), Efthymis Christou

Photos Niki Adamopoulou 

Promotion Katerina Apostolopoulou

Organization, Production Management Steehos Space, MASH

Production: Steehos Art

Steehos Space 

Dipylou 7, 10553 Athens

4th Floor 

(Near Thissio station and Monastiraki station)

General admission: 13 euros, 10 euros (unemployment card, student, disabled)

Information/Reservations: 6947072424, 6981588110

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