In Kafkas The Hunger Artist, the artist denies himself of any form of nourishment for a extended period of time.

His body and suffering are his canvass. His isolation, endurance and self control are the highlights of his art. He used to be the main attraction. The public is marveling at him as he sat there pallid in his black tights (242). However, the publics fascination was superficial and short lived. They were mostly driven by curiosity. Similar to onlookers at a traffic accident, they stare and move on. The interest in the true science and art behind the artists performances just was not there. As a result, the initial fascination ended and the artist suddenly found himself deserted one fine day by the amusement seekers (245). The artist used to thrive on the challenge. He welcomed the watchers who sat up close to the bars (243), the doubters who would scrutinize his actions to ensure that he really is fasting. Even if given the opportunity to cheat which he absolutely hates, he would remain focused on his goal. The public was cheating him of his reward (247).He wanted to show the world that there is no limit to his ability to endure suffering. Ironically, from being the main attractions, to being moved near the animal cages (246), his popularity came to an end. We can relate the demise of the hunger artist to the fading popularity of classical art. It used to be celebrated and appreciated. But now it only lies in scarcely visited museums and students are only aware of the existence of such human creativity after being mandated to write essays about it. Yes, we will look at the paintings admire its beauty and the artist behind it but todays society would not be interested in the history behind it, the message it conveys or its relevancy. Only a devoted few would appreciate it beyond its superficial qualities. At present, majority of peoples curiosity is geared towards technology and modern amenities. The arrival of the latest mobile phone, the most technologically advanced video games or the newest social networking sites occupy our anticipation. Technology and connectivity is todays major attraction and as a consequence, similar to the hunger artist, classical art seems to have lost its allure. However, similar to the Renaissance masters who were pioneers and ahead of their time, a new breed of artists would eventually emerge with fresh and innovative ideas that would once again capture our attention and imagination. When that moment arrives, we would again revisit the forgotten masterpieces of the older generations. Once again, just like the hunger artist, prove that when it comes to art, there is no limit to human creativity and imagination.