Artist We Love

ARTISTS WE LOVE: UNKNOWN

When you want to show appreciation for the work but don’t know who should get the credit

Luis can usually quickly name a comic artist for that issue’s letter, but U was a surprisingly a tall order. Madeline searched the creator lists for major publishers and then searched lists of fine artists. None of the common names, like Unger, Upton, or Utley, showed up. She decided “Unknown” had to be our favorite artist. Unknown writes, paints, and makes memes.

In 2019, the University of Cambridge curated an exhibition that would challenge people to view the work without the distraction of who made it. Jim Ede collected work by famous artists, unknown artists, and found objects. Very deliberately, nothing was labeled. Every piece was supposed to be utterly compelling without the pressure to like it based on name recognition.

Different societies perceive art differently, so cultural objects that were not considered art in Africa or Asia are recontextualized by Western museums. The works are associated with the era in which they are created. Historians developed names for artworks from the Middle Ages and the Renaissance, creating a number of Anonymous Masters.

Some modern artists work to remain anonymous. Graffiti is illegal, so it’s best not to be known but fans also want the mystery. Banksy’s style is recognizable. Recognizing who actually produced the work would detract from the art.

Meanwhile Surrealist masters became so famous they could sign readymade pieces and have it be art. After Madeline began researching this story, she started to see more Instagram accounts apologizing for not knowing whose art they were using to make memes. Unknown deserves respect.

Graffiti removal street art, Banksy c. 2008

It’s easy to find the names of the woman and cat in the meme, but not the person who mashed them up

Fountain, Marcel Duchamp c. 1917 (replica 1964) Lascaux Caves, France, c. 17,000-15,000 BC

Emperor Constantine oil on canvas, signed “V. G.” c. 1901. Virgin and Child in a Landscape by Master of the Embroidered Foliage c. 1500. Square jade Yuanming seal stolen from the Summer Palace, Anonymous c. 1764