Welcome to the thirteenth insertion of DEMUR®, an analytical series highlighting the intricacies of the artistic world and the minutiae lying within. In this episode we’ll be lifting the opaque veil of anonymity and looking deeper into a preferred confidentiality many artists choose, shedding light into the shadows some reside within.
The creative world is no stranger to anonymity. Artisans have been concealing their identity for decades, masking their personality to trail a thought of never-ending mystery. Many date the origin of obscurity to the birth of Graffiti, a popularized art form seeking thrill in “tagging” urban landscapes with bubbled fonts and illicit paintings. Beginning in the 60’s, Graffiti stemmed a culture of faceless creatives driven by a fear of legal repercussion, their artwork falling into the category of vandalism or defacement. Within such, sat a now household name; Banksy - the symbol (or lack thereof) of anonymity.
Bansky is a renowned graffiti artist best known for his illusive stature and political motifs, using legality driven secrecy to speak freely on issues of controversy. By remaining anonymous, he is able to create art objectively, attracting authentic judgement free from the constraints of prejudice. Much like fashion designer Martin Margiela, he cements allure in his work while conveying a greater concept, inviting an audience to look at art from an outside perspective.
Each artist strives for unbiased retention in an industry driven by status, but remain anonymous nonetheless. Martin Margiela defied, and continues to defy societal affirmations through blank cotton tags and undocumented portraits, but gained god-tier notoriety as a result. By removing a signature from one’s work, the consumer is forced to appreciate the construction, design and craft held within - pushing each viewer to perceive his product in the rawest form. As a result, the audience creates unique opinions and is able to look from a lens of innocence, switching perspective into one of the impartial.
Perhaps anonymity is not a driving lure, but instead a sacrifice for free thinking in the world of skewed belief.
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