The Art of Hunger

WhyHunger is a global non-profit that funds and supports community solutions to protect the human right to food. Hungerthon is their annual tentpole campaign to end hunger in America. To celebrate 40 years of impact, WhyHunger wanted to create a resonant film to generate interest in learning more about the Hungerthon and encouraging viewers to take action. The goal was to increase WhyHunger’s visibility and brand alignment among Gen Z and Millennial audiences without alienating the existing donor base which is 60% male, age 35-64.

Our film is based on a simple insight – Still Life painting emerged as an art form because, in the Middle Ages, food was a luxury. The ability to afford fruits, meat and cheese was a status symbol, so much that it became art. In 2025, food is still a luxury for far too many—not because it is scarce, but because access is unequal.

The Online Auction on celebrity items has been a core element of Hungerthon. We decided to hijack it by staging an auction of real food inspired by historical still life paintings. For example, an actual basket of fruit instead of the ‘Basket of Fruit’ by Caravaggio and a real basket of bread instead of ‘Basket of Bread’ by Salvador Dalí. This film spotlights the uncomfortable truth that paintings of food are auctioned for millions while pantries remain empty. So we turned them into symbols of change, inviting people to bid, donate and take action to help end world hunger.

By leveraging the power of classical art, we wanted to create a campaign that connects with WhyHunger’s existing audience—who may appreciate history, craftsmanship and tradition—with younger millennials and gen z who engage with art through digital culture, activism, and #ArtTok.