Is this the new Banksy? Meet the newest artist who is hiding his identity
He’s British, thought to be in his early 30s, and always wears a mask.
No, we’re not talking about a new DJ or musician, we’re actually talking about a new artist who is determined to keep his name secret.
Known only as Mr Collage, he is thought to be be based in the States and is- quite literally – his own canvas.
‘By embodying Mr Collage I’ve become a symbol for those who feel trapped inside the fake version of themselves,’ he said.
‘Most people have created a version that makes them feel safe to the world. I’m doing it for those hiding behind a mask that isn’t them. I made a mask that is me.’
Mr Collage goes to great lengths to keep his face obscured behind a hand-adhered collage mask which takes around six hours to assemble.
His works, and his collage mask, have appeared in Miami, Los Angeles, Dubai, Denmark and international markets across Europe and Asia.
While he charges anything from £80 ($100) for mystery boxes and designer items that sell for around £4,700 ($6,000). He has said some of his pieces (including a BMWi8) sell for millions.
Before the viral videos and headline-grabbing commissions, Mr Collage has lived many different lives.
‘I’ve had over 50 jobs, was in the Air Force, and have worked in the creative space for over 15 years,’ he said.
The artist has travelled extensively, visiting more than 40 countries, and said he worked with major global names long before building his own brand.
The real turning point, he explained, came down to faith.
‘I decided to go fully in on myself after God told me I needed to,’ he said. ‘Just like my relationship with Jesus, I was half in and half out. Once I went all the way in I was able to find success very quickly.’
Mr Collage shares his work on TikTok and Instagram and his short-form videos often show the painstaking process behind the look.
In one widely shared clip, he admitted wearing the elaborate mask for hours isn’t exactly comfortable, but that the impact was worth it.
Among his most ambitious projects to date is a fully collaged BMW i8.
‘I spent over 500 hours on it, working every day for 10 weeks,’ he said. ‘It was incredibly difficult. There are over 20,000 individual pieces torn by hand and adhered onto it.’
Mr Collage is married to a woman named only as Olivia. The couple have homeschooled their children and travel together as a family when he is working on commissions.
‘My wife has sacrificed a lot to keep it all in the family,’ he said. ‘Liv and our kids all think it’s awesome. She told me to pursue it more than anyone.
‘The rest of my family thinks I’m insane. My wife’s uncle told me at a family gathering, “I don’t like that mask thing.”‘
‘I love all the ideas and judgment around it; it just solidifies what I’m doing.’
As his profile grows, so too does demand for his work, from accessible collectables to high-end statement pieces.
His fans have also started comparing him to another famous anonymous artist.
‘Being compared to Banksy or greats is sick,’ he said. ‘I wanna go down as one of the greats.’
Mr Collage said that his mission mattered most, which included challenging what people idolise including celebrity culture and materialism.
He recalled one moment when a fellow collage artist slid into his DMs with a blunt message: ‘Not impressed.’
Rather than firing back, his response was measured.
‘I explained to him I’m not in competition with anyone but myself,’ he said.
‘There’s a sort of insecurity if you look outside yourself to validate your work. I know who I am, and building that out is all that matters to me.’
His next move is to ‘take over Europe and Asia’ and he’s also eyeing increasingly ambitious canvases.
‘Maybe doing an entire plane, licensing and IP, and major partnerships,’ he said.
‘This is just the beginning at the starting line. The gun hasn’t even gone off. Some people want a taste now, but in 12 months I think everyone’s gonna want a slice.’
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