Anonymous Drawings - Berlin’s hot drawing exhibition

8 Feb 2007 Category: Events & Exhibitions, Features, Illustration, Worldwide

Anonymous Drawings - Berlin’s hot drawing exhibition

Would you buy this if you didn't know who the artist was?

What if you go to an exhibition but can’t make out who the artist is? How much do you actually rely on the creator’s name as a ‘brand’? And to what extend would you react differently to the work if you didn’t have any additional information except for what you see?

Anke Becker from Blütenweiss started an “Anonymous Drawing” project where art works from around the world get presented and sold without revealing any information that relate to the artist. On the occasion of the 4th of this ambitious selling exhibition starting this Friday (9th of February 2007) in Berlin, we have a Q&A with 10 questions with Anke about her project and why she thinks that this is the only way to truly appreciate art.

Written by Uleshka

taken from the ‘Anonymous Drawings#3′ exhibition

1. Anke, could you quickly explain the concept for your “Anonymous Drawings” exhibitions? And why is it important to hide all the artists’ names?

It is all about gathering different aspects of “what drawing is” by presenting international art works in an anonymous context.

I liked the idea that people were forced to judge the drawings merely by looking at it. No further information, putting the full focus on the work and not the artist’s personality.

I consider this aspect to be really important, especially since the art-market has this tendency to be very irrational and focused on famous artists only. This fame, however, is usually more of a business strategy and doesn’t necessarily relate to the actual artist’s talent…

from ‘Anonymous Drawings#1′

from ‘Anonymous Drawings#1′

2. Do you really think that not knowing the artist’s name makes it easier for people to open up to the drawing as such?

Yes, I definitively think so! When I listen to people talking about the works, they often appreciate drawings from totally unknown artists and sometimes consider works from established people as crap. (laughs)

from ‘Anonymous Drawings#1′

from ‘Anonymous Drawings#3′

from ‘Anonymous Drawings#3′

3. What kinds of people participate? What is the ratio of “established artist” to “hobby artist” or “totally inexperienced illustrator”?

It is hard to tell because I only get to see the names of people and their drawings. But there are about 80% established or very capable but still unknown artists and 20% of the submissions are from really inexperienced people with a great will to draw (these submissions often came from smaller cities…). Amongst all these are always some childrens’ drawings as well.

one corner of the gallery space from the ‘Anonymous Drawings#2′ exhibition

from ‘Anonymous Drawings#3′

from ‘Anonymous Drawings#3′

from ‘Anonymous Drawings#1′

from the ‘Anonymous Drawings#2′

4. There are no themes at your exhibitions, so I wonder what happens if people can send in whatever they want!? What sort of images do you get? Is there a certain style of drawing or maybe people copying others…?

It is difficult to figure out a certain style, but I notice much more figurative drawings than abstract or conceptual pieces. The first round was really totally mixed, at the second round there where many sexual and porn style drawings next to lots of ships, planes, and animals.


from ‘Anonymous Drawings#1′

from ‘Anonymous Drawings#1′

The third round even allowed me to do a thematically ordered presentation: one wall had architectural drawings on, one wall botanical stuff, portraits and couples, works with words and writings or conceptual/abstract things… I have participants sending works every time, creating a special anonymous work complex. The materials used are totally mixed, there are no limits!

from ‘Anonymous Drawings#3′

from the ‘Anonymous Drawings#2′ exhibition

from ‘Anonymous Drawings#3′

5. What sort of images are the visitors after then?

They are definitely after figurative works! I never sold an abstract drawing - which is a real shame, because there are really good works in this category, often from famous artists.


from ‘Anonymous Drawings#3′

from ‘Anonymous Drawings#2′

from ‘Anonymous Drawings#2′

people at the exhibition in Berlin

6. What sort of people come to your “Anonymous Drawings” exhibitions and what actually makes them buy images?

“Anonymous Drawings” is becoming a meeting point for international artists as well as people who like to focus on drawings and discuss art. People buy the drawings just because they simply “fall in love” with them, often spontaneously and attracted by the possibility to be finally able to afford a piece of art.

Every drawing costs 100 Euro and as soon as it is sold, I take it off the wall and put the artist’s name there instead. Thus buying a drawing at the show means liberating the artist from anonymity.


loads of submissions - Anke in a pile of envelopes

setting up - Anke and Nina preparing the next exhibition starting this weekend

The works are put directly onto the walls without frames right next to each other, filling up the entire space. Anke: “Many people told me that they appreciated the experimental style of the presentation as well as the possibility to see so many different drawings at once.”

7. And what have you learned about “what drawing is” from all that?

That my taste is only one of many! (laughs) There are actually as many different opinions about the drawings as there are people in the room. I did well not to sort out the pieces I found really horrible…

Anke: “Some people were obviously not very good, but proved a very high will to draw…,” from the ‘Anonymous Drawings#2′

8. Can you find parallels between your project and similar ideas such as the selling exhibitions at the Royal College of Art hiding the names of the artists?

Sure, I have the feeling that the idea of anonymous exhibitions is really in the air. Shortly after my first show at Blütenweiss the Kunsthalle Schirn in Frankfurt I had an opening called ANONYMOUS, too.

taken from the ‘Anonymous Drawings#2′ exhibition

9. Now tell us, how can we all participate?

Just send in 1 to 3 original drawings on paper with the maximum size being A3, with name, address and email of the artist. That’s it, really. Detailed info here! Deadline for ‘Anonymous Drawings #5′ is March 5th 2007!!!

10. Anything you would like to add?

I had submissions from all over the world so far except Asia! I hope that also the Asian artists will catch fire for our “anonymous drawing-movement” and take part!

Anke Anonymous

Definitely! Go Go Asia! Good luck to all of you!

85 Comments

  1. What a fantastic idea!

    Posted by: Satek on February 9th, 2007 at 12:54 am

  2. Cool

    Posted by: Elerc on February 9th, 2007 at 8:42 am

  3. a different perspective of presenting art.
    nice.

    Posted by: Pascal Zoghbi on February 9th, 2007 at 6:09 pm

  4. Title of the article was spelled wrongly. Other than that, I’m with Anke!

    Posted by: Dave on February 9th, 2007 at 6:20 pm

  5. ^^^^ I was about to say Dave :)

    I’m with Anke too. You’re only as good as your last piece so what’s in a name. A rose by any other name… etc. etc.

    Posted by: David Airey on February 9th, 2007 at 7:00 pm

  6. oh my golly! that ‘m’ must have been out for a smoke or something…. thanks!

    Posted by: Uleshka on February 9th, 2007 at 7:14 pm

  7. Looks like they scooped up the contents of an underachieving sixth-form (age 16-18) art class, and pinned their drawings to the walls.

    Posted by: Murtis Nurti on February 9th, 2007 at 7:23 pm

  8. Yeah, I don’t think much of the art, except for one piece - the architectural drawings with the two female onlookers.

    I always had trouble with the features of the face so have respect for those who can do it right.

    Posted by: David Airey on February 9th, 2007 at 7:54 pm

  9. bad ass . thanks for the news . Rally wonderful stuff

    Posted by: A1one on February 9th, 2007 at 9:07 pm

  10. which is neo´s?

    Posted by: -m on February 12th, 2007 at 2:37 am

  11. A very good enterprise, congratulations ! For the first time there is explicit attention to drawing. But what about anonimity if I would like to exhibit the work of some of the artist ? Please send your reaction to jjlegrand@hetnet.nl

    mit freundlichen Grüßen,

    Jos Legrand

    Posted by: Anonymous on February 12th, 2007 at 7:08 am

  12. such a wonderful idea !!

    Posted by: Alice on February 13th, 2007 at 12:05 am

  13. [...]   What if you go to an exhibition but can’t make out who the artist is? How much do you actually rely on the creator’s name as a ‘brand’? And to what extend would you react differently to the work if you didn’t have any additional information except for what you see? (continues after the jump) link  [...]

    Posted by: FADblog » Blog Archive » Anonymous Drawings - Berlin’s hot drawing exhibition on February 13th, 2007 at 12:25 am

  14. How fun! :) It’s interesting to see such a wide variety of styles, imagery, etc. put into one show.

    Posted by: Kooby on February 13th, 2007 at 4:55 am

  15. how’d ja find mich?

    Posted by: d'know fo' sho' on February 13th, 2007 at 12:11 pm

  16. a good idea to promote art.

    Posted by: vijay prakash on February 21st, 2007 at 5:48 pm

  17. Wow. wow wow wow wow wow.

    GREAT concept.

    !!!

    Posted by: Shout on February 22nd, 2007 at 8:54 am

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  19. I think that it was a fantastic idea, and im so inspired just by reading this article. The variation is Amazing with a capital A!x

    Posted by: Lana on March 14th, 2007 at 6:24 pm

  20. Anonymouse drawings article is excellent.

    Posted by: jonathan_polkest@hotmail.com on April 4th, 2007 at 10:07 pm

  21. this is absolutely a creative idea, which will lead art to a different destination. And also for those famous artist who can actually see where they exactly stand in the eyes of the audiences in a real sense!congrats… Bijita from Baroda, India

    Posted by: Bijita on November 22nd, 2007 at 12:56 am

  22. i am going to enter for sure, it’s so creative and i love the idea that it’s really for international artists. so many times i see cool things i want to enter my art into but it’s really hard when you live on an island that’s in the middle of nowhere and because of that i’m not eligible. yay for helping artists get their work out and in such a creative way!

    Posted by: dendoo on February 8th, 2008 at 9:11 pm

  23. [...] a PingMag article on the show from last year. I can’t make it, but if you do, please do let me know how it [...]

    Posted by: YUKI’S BLOG » Anonymous Drawings N° 8 on March 16th, 2008 at 6:36 pm

  24. The quality of the selected work here is great..

    Posted by: Lisse on October 21st, 2008 at 1:04 am

  25. I like this group exhibition anonymous drawings. The drawings are posted very good on the walls. And there a lot of fine drawings!
    Creative greetings from
    Schoko Casana Rosso

    Posted by: Schoko Casana Rosso on July 14th, 2010 at 4:41 am

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