Conceptual image of challenging 'anonymity' by role-playing four different identities in an existing work
‘Anonymous #1 ’ exhibition @NUL ZES, organized by TAC ‘24, Images: Sean Fisher
“Excuse me, is this your work?” Kaan was asked this question while standing next to the spatial installation he set up to showcase his personal stories, written by him and paired with props made by him too. They were placed in front of TV screens displaying videos of him performing with them, which he also filmed and edited himself. He was deeply involved in every part of his work, thus, this question caught him off guard. Especially during his daily schedule of spending seven hours a day for a week, standing by his project on top of performing in it once a day. His role as an artist also included answering questions from visitors with complete enthusiasm. So he playfully responded to the person, saying, “Yes, all five of us did it together,” pointing at himself in the playing videos, and at the 3D print prop of his head. In retrospect, this situation indicated the identity crisis he was experiencing with his project—how it slowly became a challenge to separate himself from the work due to juggling multiple roles at once.
Months later, to challenge his position within the work, he revisits that person’s question with a twist “Excuse you, is this my work? ”
Day 1, performing the role of 'the exhibition technician'
Day 2, performing the role of 'the visitor'
Throughout the exhibition, his effort is to become physically anonymous within the project, alternating between four essential roles apart from his artist self: the visitor, the exhibition technician, the volunteer, and the performer. Each day an activation schedule allocates a different identity and, therefore, different tasks to perform. For instance, as the visitor to view the work and experience it from a stranger’s perspective, or as the exhibition technician to ensure all components run smoothly. Rather than a deletion of his identity, anonymity in an existing work is challenged through the impersonation of identities.
While his presence is still alongside the work, same way as in the anecdote, the intention is to generate more uncertainty for you, the visitor, about him, the creator. During the four days, this role-playing will initiate an active questioning of the possibilities of autonomy or the inseparability of the bond between the art and the artist.
