Fiction and authenticity beyond the artist’s body

Abstract

This essay discusses the work of a series of imaginary artists who are, nevertheless, able to function as authors in the contemporary art world. Described as parafictional artists, the article emphasises the capacity of such active practitioners as Donelle Woolford, The Atlas Group, Reena Spaulings and Barbara Cleveland to interact with the art world in a plausible manner, regardless of the disclosure of their imaginary nature. These interactions include exhibiting and selling works, giving interviews, publishing books, or doing performances under their own names. Unlike earlier body-based investigations into identity, parafictional artists develop disembodied strategies that some researchers have associated with the use of digitally-constructed avatars. The question of whether the invention of parafictional artists can be considered as a way to reject or ignore the political implications of “authentic” identities is debated in detail throughout the article. The essay, however, opts for understanding these imaginary artists with “real” careers as a means to discuss and negotiate the complex function of artists’ identities in the contemporary art world. The text finishes by predicting a future in which parafictional artists will become ubiquitous, and their growing numbers a possible threat.