ID - IDENTITY (UN) KNOWN (time specific in-cognito in-stant id - entity)

This dissertation focuses on va-rious strategies of presenting identity in contemporary art and the current trend of forming its mutations and mystifications. It deals with approaches such as when the name of an artist is absent from his performance, various forms of concealment, and the subsequent detection of an artist. The term “anonymity” is not examined as its mere literal definition, but it subsequently forks into other related meanings. The introduction points at our daily meetings with anonymity, the condensation of information stemming from all spheres including the sphere of visual arts. The subject of the dissertation is explored though the influence of media operating at a given time (time-specific) and a given place (site-specific): here and now. The text primarily deals with the phenomenon of being “anonymous”. While examining this topic, the period starting with the 1990s is discussed and supplemented by examples from the history of Slovak, Czech, and international visual art with extensions to literature, music and film. It closely focuses on the following four bi-polar forms of anonymity: celebrity / anonymous artist, art groups / collective exhibitions, street art / net art, signature art / untitled art. These terms are defined and organized into dictionary entries (containing both names of artists and definitions of terms). Comprising of over two hundred words, a hybrid thematic dictionary has been produced. It consists of already existing definitions taken from the Slovak and Czech mutations of Wikipedia which are quoted with consistence with each entry. The collaboration with Wikipedia is based on subsequent addition of the author’s definitions and thus supplements it with missing information from the sphere of visual arts. The text also deals with a current trend of renaming as a symbol of a hegemonic tool of power. The terms a.k.a., name, monogram, nick, and pseudonym are explored