Back in the Day It Was Common to Create Art but Staying Anonymous

Anonymous street fine art was never more than prominent than in New York City'southward 1970s graffiti scene. A barrage of unique tags, throw-ups, slaps, paste-ups, stencils and more covered the entire city, each conveying the artist's secret alias. The anonymity was key to avoid receiving fines or catastrophe upwards in jail. Equally street artists gain notoriety, the lure of cashing in for their work heightens the pressure for a big reveal, but why do certain artists who create highly-valued artwork want to remain elusive?

Banksy, for instance, has garnered worldwide fame for his politically-charged pieces. Despite rumors, Banksy's truthful identity has yet to exist revealed. Is it possible the artist doesn't want to reveal his or her identity because it would distract viewers from fully absorbing the letters and behavior behind the work? All of this depends on a particular, anonymous artist's standpoint and nosotros may never know his or her motivations. Withal, 1 thing's for sure: anonymous art urges viewers to come up upwards with their own opinions surrounding a slice without obsessing over whether or non a big name artist created information technology or not. Indeed, viewing anonymous fine art on the street is possibly more mentally liberating than observing iconic works at a prestigious museum.

To smoothen some light on the nuances of anonymous art, we saturday downwards with celebrated bearding artists Felipe Pantone and Lushsux alongside Pw! WOW! founder Jasper Wong, renowned street art photographer Daniel Weintraub, and anonymous artist turned established artist, Adam Lucas.

Portrait Of Felipe Pantone. Keith Estiler/Hypebeast

Why do artists choose to remain anonymous?

Felipe Pantone, @felipepantone In my case I just want when people Google my proper noun they meet my artwork, not my face. I design carefully every piece visual content that I make and that talks manner more than about me than my face, which I didn't choose.

Lushsux, @lushsux I'd rather have people who follow the work to exist more interested in it than what pair of $800 sunglasses I wear or how twirled my mustache is.

Adam Lucas, @adamlucasNYC Every bit far as graffiti and street art is concerned, in that location are obvious legal reasons. The majority of their piece of work is washed without permission and well-nigh larger cities have specialized units whose sole purpose is to track these artists downwardly. My choice was e'er far less elusive. In the outset, I was simply taking the piss out of the somber weighted street fine art scene, so I fabricated information technology all function of my street fine art schtick. Pixelated face up, heavily modded voice. As time went on and I started to take things a bit more than serious, I merely kept it up. By and large for the LOLs.

Jasper Wong, @mrjasperwong In my experience, the artists that cull to remain anonymous are those that are actively painting illegally in the streets.

Daniel Weintraub, @halopigg I think a lot of it has to practice with the culture coming from graffiti and coming from a place where you didn't show everybody what you were doing. Yous just kept information technology to a very close circle of friends and and then once that culture met the Internet, you lot accept everybody reacting in different ways. Yous have certain people who remain anonymous, merely still choose to show everything they are doing on the Net equally they are anonymous. Then you have people who are scared of anything likewise public for the same reason they wouldn't bear witness who they were before the Internet. They think the law are behind it. They call back they're being watched.

Large-Scale Mural by Lushsux. Lushsux

What would happen to one's artwork if their secret identity is revealed?

Felipe Pantone, @felipepantone I don't recollect annihilation would modify on my side, only I estimate it would interfere with people's perception of my piece of work. Calculation a face to the equation might modify their perception if the viewer has prejudices related to the fashion I wait, my race, fashion, etc.

Lushsux, @lushsux Most likely that artist would not be able to take every bit many chances to do anything that may go them locked up or beaten upwardly. In my example, I would just get a lot more nudes and marriage proposals in the DM.

Adam Lucas, @adamlucasNYC It actually depends on the body of work. If you lot're able to attribute a face/name to a previously standalone bearding piece of art, it adds another layer. It adds a bit more context. Sometimes for the ameliorate, sometimes for the worse.

Jasper Wong, @mrjasperwong In the case of artists that piece of work illegally, they are concerned most the ramifications from the work they are doing on the streets, such every bit jail fourth dimension and fines.

Daniel Weintraub, @halopigg For Banksy, there is no bullet point on his memo that says "Reveal One's Self." That'southward become a part of his grapheme and he's very expert at playing it, then I would never await someone like him to do it. I don't know what would make someone really even change their listen.

Portrait Of Adam Lucas. Keith Estiler/Hypebeast

Will revealing an artist's identity increase or impede the auction of artwork?

Felipe Pantone, @felipepantone In the instance of Banksy the fact of being anonymous might help his popularity, in the case of Damien Hirst I think his persona contributed to his success. In my case [I'yard] not sure how information technology would piece of work in terms of sales, but as I said it would change the manner my work or my message reached the viewer.

Lushsux, @lushsux It would help sales wise, collectors like to buy not only the work simply the right to brag they know you personally.

Adam Lucas, @adamlucasNYC People and buyers similar a backstory. There's something very interesting about an creative person who'southward been able to create an art career while remaining completely anonymous. It keeps the people intrigued. Particularly if one is able to come up in today's earth where everything/everyone is on display and connected more e'er. And I'yard not talking well-nigh the artists who comprehend half their confront with a paw and pose for Instagram. That's not anonymity. That's only a different kind of thirst trap.

Jasper Wong, @mrjasperwong It really depends on the work and its own merits. Some artists work exclusively under the guise of anonymity and have become massively successful. Yet, it tin can besides hinder them, considering their work can't be displayed in certain institutions, such as museums, without their identity being revealed. They besides can't take legal activeness when their piece of work is stolen and then sold for profit because they'd have to reveal their identity in doing so. Banksy's piece of work comes to heed in regards to these bug.

Daniel Weintraub, @halopigg I remember it could be both. I retrieve sometimes people are going to identify with a person's artwork and perhaps, they meet the artist or read an interview with the artist and they don't vibe with it. Equally a collector, information technology's easier for someone to collect works from someone who is anonymous considering you lot tin about make upwards your own story near them. Y'all can fabricate information technology yourself.

Portrait Of Jasper Wong. Windows Weblog

Will the artist's cult post-obit disappear later on their identity has been revealed?

Felipe Pantone, @felipepantone I don't think so, I actually think in that location are some artists that use their identity to create a following.

Lushsux, @lushsux Unlikely, maybe if they are shit in the first place.

Adam Lucas, @adamlucasNYC If it does then they were following the artist for the incorrect reasons. For everything taken away, one meliorate make damn certain there's an addition. Subtract the anonymity? Then fill that hole with modify and progress. Everything becomes stale sooner or later.

Jasper Wong, @mrjasperwongI don't believe so. I feel the following is in honey with the art more than than the personality backside it. At least, I promise so.

Daniel Weintraub, @halopigg Last yr the creative person known as Above or Tavar Zawacki, I think he had a breaking bespeak where he was just tired of being known as a false proper name that someone didn't testify his face up at all. He had a breakthrough bubble where he said "screw this," I've been this person simply it'southward only a part of their personal allonym. This is my real name and this is my face. I think the reverse of it when someone actually does have that breaking signal, I think it might get lone. I recollect anonymity tin can be lonely for people.

Portrait Of Daniel Weintraub. Oly Bernardi

Should all artists exist elusive and put their piece of work commencement before their name?

Felipe Pantone, @felipepantone That's my selection but I also sympathise that some artists want to contribute with their identity.

Lushsux, @lushsuxWhatever suits their ego I gauge. For myself I don't want to accept to talk to people on the street as "@lushsux" because I'grand an autist before an creative person.

Adam Lucas, @adamlucasNYC Depends on their come up. Sometimes work sells because of the name, sometimes because of the fine art. Every artist is unlike and that's the best affair nigh creating. There are no rules.

Jasper Wong, @mrjasperwong The work should always be first.

Daniel Weintraub, @halopigg There are definitely people doing strictly illegal piece of work under i name and then, doing completely public muralism and fine fine art under a completely different name. Just a very select few people know one person from the other because at that place'southward no manner crossover or reference points. It's how they can proceed playing in the game, simply perhaps progressing their other careers as well.

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Source: https://hypebeast.com/2018/1/anonymous-artists-interview