Hedonism: Oysters, Fear and Resistance
Hedonismus: Austern, Angst und Widerstand
Name(s) of graduate(s):Sina Schlerf
2026
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Description
‘Hedonism: Oysters, Anxiety and Resistance’ examines pleasure as a cultural, social and political question. The starting point is an image that has become fixed: oysters on glittering ice, perfectly illuminated in my friends’ Instagram stories.
The symbolic food of excess and a promise. The book moves through pleasure as something fragile, political and deeply human. Hedonism is considered loud, superficial, unpolitical. But pleasure is never just private: who is allowed to enjoy without fearing consequences depends on class, gender, body and security. The 96-page book combines around 50 pencil drawings with twelve essayistic texts and approaches the topic from different directions: philosophically, neurologically, economically, politically. It is not about excess, but about quieter questions: of freedom, access and a livable life.
Created in 2026 as a graduation thesis at the Berlin University of the Arts.
Sina Schlerf
2026
Description
‘Hedonism: Oysters, Anxiety and Resistance’ examines pleasure as a cultural, social and political question. The starting point is an image that has become fixed: oysters on glittering ice, perfectly illuminated in my friends’ Instagram stories.
The symbolic food of excess and a promise. The book moves through pleasure as something fragile, political and deeply human. Hedonism is considered loud, superficial, unpolitical. But pleasure is never just private: who is allowed to enjoy without fearing consequences depends on class, gender, body and security. The 96-page book combines around 50 pencil drawings with twelve essayistic texts and approaches the topic from different directions: philosophically, neurologically, economically, politically. It is not about excess, but about quieter questions: of freedom, access and a livable life.
Created in 2026 as a graduation thesis at the Berlin University of the Arts.