Central SA
Artist Carin Bester counts kernels to combat hunger─── REFILWE BEKANE 16:00 Thu, 17 Jul 2025
In a powerful and deeply moving artistic endeavour, Carin Bester is redefining endurance art to shed light on a critical issue plaguing South Africa – food insecurity.
Through her installation, Hunger Count, Bester thoroughly extracts 153,960 beans or corn kernels over five days, symbolising the harrowing 6% of South African households that face hunger daily.
This is no mere static display; it's a live, participatory performance demanding immense focus and physical stamina from the artist that was exhibited on Wednesday (16/7) at the University of Free State (UFS), Scholtz Hall.
Carin Bester is redefining endurance art. Photo: Refilwe Bekane
An Artist’s Marathon: Counting for Change
From 09:00 each morning until 18:00, Bester embarks on her task, counting and extracting kernels, one by one. This repetitive, almost thorough act highlights the sheer scale of the hunger crisis.
Bester isn’t alone in her endeavour. She actively invites everyone to participate. These contributions are then added to different piles, each representing a specific statistic related to food insecurity.
The visual impact of Hunger Count is designed to be undeniable. Photo: Refilwe Bekane
Beyond Awareness: Partnering for Impact
In a significant collaboration, Hunger Count has also partnered with the University of the Free State-based No Student Hungry (NSH) programme. According to the art message of Bester, the NSH programme provides crucial food parcels to food-insecure students, distributing approximately 1,000 parcels monthly across its three campuses: Bloemfontein, South Campus, and QwaQwa. What’s more, fresh, seasonal produce from the UFS vegetable gardens is added to these portions, enhancing their nutritional value.
The visual impact of Hunger Count is designed to be undeniable. Through the sheer volume of kernels and the visible effort of their extraction, Bester hopes to inspire a shift in public consciousness. Her artistic endurance serves as a powerful metaphor for the sustained effort required to combat hunger, urging individuals to change their habits and contribute to alleviating this pressing societal challenge.
As a message near Bester’s exhibition eloquently states: “Together, through awareness, we can take small steps that lead to meaningful change. Hunger Count makes the invisible visible. Let’s make our actions count together, until no one is left behind.”
