Your 15 minutes are up
Andy Warhol’s prediction that everyone will be world-famous for 15 minutes has to an extent, come true. Surveillance culture means we are all subjects of the camera whether we like it or not, and via our Facebook page or blog, we can all be more visible and vocal a lot faster than ever before. Celebrity then, is no longer elite, elusive or arguably, even desirable anymore. Anonymity, we predict, could become the new celebrity. Last December, a user called iamamiwhoami uploaded a strange video to YouTube. The video featured a metallic-skinned woman in the foetal position and a goat giving birth. Its soundtrack was devoid of vocals and led by quivering high-pitched synths. The 55-second clip, titled Prelude 699130082.451322, quickly went viral, with over 122,000 views to date and more videos have since mysteriously appeared. All of which begs the question: Who is this? Christina Aguilera, Goldfrapp, Bjork and Lady Gaga have all been suggested, but there is no official answer, all of which has set MTV and music blogs alight and created an intriguing viral guessing game.
Underground artists have better understood the power of anonymity to create their brands. This includes Mercury nominee Burial, who was wholly anonymous until The Sun tried to ‘out’ him; cult rapper MF DOOM, who performs behind a metal mask; then there’s Banksy, of course. It’s the less is more dictum. Take Lady Gaga for example. If you take away the glasses, the make-up, and the various costume changes, little is really known about who Miss Gaga is or what she really looks like. She is the biggest star in the world right now, yet completely anonymous. She is her persona, which is a blank canvas to which she projects a variety of images that provoke the cameras whilst at the same time keeping her unobtainable.
Thanks to Morgan Clement and Gavin Cumine for this story. This is Morgan’s and Gavin’s 3rd and 5th minute of fame, respectively.
References
The Roundtable
Pitchfork
