When you think of Louis Vuitton, Nike, Supreme, Yeezy and other clothing brands you think of a certain aesthetic. When you think of Apple you think of a certain aesthetic as well. That’s what the artists are… brands. When you think of an artists you think in terms of the descriptive elements their works represent about them or about a certain era. Picasso had different eras in his creativity as do musicians who reinvent themselves with every album.
The artists are brands because a brand is an identifying mark placed on whatever the brander wants to brand as theirs. Banksy, the unknown-known graffiti artists, has a particular aesthetic that allows people to see the work and tie it to him even though no one knows who he is.
Artists are brands and when they operate as if they don’t want to be brands then they are forgotten in the noise. So many creative people out there that one has to work to find their niche, their audience… and that audience is looking for a particular aesthetic.
What’s your aesthetic?