Anonymous Substances: Between Drawing and Sculpture – The Art of Cutting Stretch Fabric
In 2009, I enriched my artistic journey by attending the Beaux-Arts workshops in Tournai (Belgium) for a year, aiming to broaden my knowledge of visual arts. It was during this time that I developed a distinctive concept of plastic art: by stretching stretch fabric, such as lycra, over wooden frames, I began to execute delicate cuts using a scalpel. This approach allowed me to achieve an unparalleled level of precision, merging drawing and sculpture into a hybrid work.
My work quickly caught the attention of artists and organizers in the electronic music scene, particularly within the Goa Trance milieu. At that time, lycra had been used for two decades to enhance these events, yet my technique stood out for its refinement and meticulousness. I innovated by offering a more sophisticated interpretation of a material already appreciated for its ability to create captivating visual atmospheres.
My approach presents an elegant and conceptual aesthetic, aspiring to find its place in art galleries. I was dubbed “the UFO of lycra,” a nod to my entry into a realm where I was initially unknown. From my very first year of exhibition, I had the privilege of performing at some of the most prestigious festivals in Europe, allowing my project "Anonymous Substances" to take shape. This name evokes an intriguing aesthetic, generating a captivating ambiguity between drawn and sculpted works.
The project sparked diverse interests, leading me to collaborate with other musical genres such as reggae, dub, cumbia, and rock.... However, my technique particularly resonated with the audience of Goa Trance, which has since evolved into contemporary styles such as Psychedelic Trance or PsyTrance. Thus, I refined my art, orienting it toward psychedelic aesthetics, creating a unique and immersive visual dialogue.
My artistic journey is marked by a constant exploration of forms and materials. As a versatile artist, my curiosity drives me to learn continuously, especially about the new technologies that transform our way of creating.
The experience I've gained over the years allows me to tackle diverse projects, even those that fall outside the realms I’ve presented here. I am open to collaborations and challenges, convinced that each project is an opportunity to expand my artistic practice. This passion for art and innovation guides my path and enriches my work, connecting me to new ideas and different perspectives.
Artistic Evolution : Substance of Art in Wood
We now arrive at a crossroads in my artistic journey, following ten years of exploration into the possibilities offered by the cutting of lycra (or stretch fabric). This process naturally led me to question other forms of art that align with the same principle of creation through material removal.
During my Anonymous Substances project, I began to contemplate concepts of wood cutting, focusing on organic structures like zomes. These handcrafted creations were designed to harmoniously adorn architectural spaces. My interest in new technologies then led me to experiment with laser cutting.
My initial experiences with laser cutting took place in FABLABs, where I could transpose my ideas and wooden prototypes to a larger scale. This phase of experimentation was enriching, allowing me to conceptualize my ideas in a new way.
By integrating laser cutting into my studio, I deepened my exploration of wood, an organic and versatile material that resonates with contemporary concerns. The pencil strokes I honed through my work on Anonymous Substances found a new echo in this medium, enabling the creation of installations that question our relationship with space and light.
Captivating geometric forms, such as zomes and Platonic solids, became central to my reflections. Zomes, as organic structures, create fluid and harmonious spaces, while Platonic solids, symbols of sacred geometry, evoke philosophical ideas about the universe and creation.
These multifaceted volumes are particularly interesting for video mapping, offering dynamic surfaces that interact fascinatingly with light. Their integration into scenography allows for the creation of engaging environments, transforming spaces into living works of art.
Alongside these installations, I developed a series of small art pieces in limited formats. This artistic choice reinforces the uniqueness of each piece while allowing everyone to enjoy a work of art in their own home.
These smaller works are designed to enrich your daily life with a touch of originality and creativity. I invite you to visit the shop on my website, where you can discover and acquire these limited pieces, bringing a part of my artistic universe into your personal space.
Christophe Martin is a French artist, known as Anonymous Substances, began his artistic journey over 25 years ago with VJing, a practice that led him to create immersive experiences combining sound and image. This foundation opened the door to various artistic forms.
His flagship project, Anonymous Substances, uses lycra, an elastic material that has become central to his graphic universe. This work has allowed him to participate in numerous music festivals and artistic events, captivating audiences with dynamic visuals.
Over time, he has explored new materials and techniques, including laser cutting and organic structures. This enables him to create installations that resonate with contemporary aesthetics.
Explore Anonymous Substances, a constantly evolving project where creativity takes many forms. Each creation reflects his unique vision and commitment to exploring new ideas.
The Evolution of my Art
"From Academy to Experiential Art"
Around the year 2000, I began a four-year artistic course at the Saint-Luc Institute in Tournai, Belgium. My arrival at this art school was a true revelation for me, a moment I consider a second birth.
It was in this creative environment that I discovered my passion for visual arts, particularly through photography and video. Photography, as the main subject of my studies, allowed me to refine my sensitivity to image, composition, and light. At the same time, exploring video offered me new dimensions of expression, transforming my perception of art and enabling me to experiment with movement and time in innovative ways. These discoveries marked the beginning of an artistic journey that would profoundly influence my path.
It was also during this time that I discovered alternative environments, electronic music, and visual performances. These worlds transformed my view of art, opening me up to more dynamic and immersive forms of expression, particularly through VJing.
VJing (Video Jockeying), a contemporary visual practice, involves manipulating and projecting images in real-time, often in harmony with musical performances, especially in festive contexts such as concerts and electronic music festivals. Like a DJ for music, the VJ creates immersive visual environments live. This practice, which was in its infancy in Europe at the time, offered an exciting playground for experimentation, blending analog and digital techniques.
My early explorations were rooted in a DIY (Do It Yourself) approach, where I experimented with cathode-ray televisions, VHS tapes, and DVDs. Visual sampling quickly became a cornerstone of my work, based on the idea that many images already exist, and by reappropriating them, it is possible to create something new—a fresh visual discourse. With the explosion of the internet, access to vast image banks opened up new creative possibilities.
Around the same time, video mapping emerged, marking a natural evolution of VJing. This technique allows for the projection of images onto architectural surfaces or three-dimensional objects, transforming the space into an immersive artwork. Video mapping blurs the boundaries between digital art and real space, offering a unique interaction between image, architecture, and the audience.
Today, I integrate new technologies such as artificial intelligence into my visual creations, further enriching my performances. These innovative tools allow me to explore new forms of expression while remaining connected to the worlds of electronic music, digital arts, and festive performances.
My artistic practice relies on all of these techniques—VJing, video mapping, and AI—to create singular visual performances. Each of my creations is an invitation to discover a unique, evolving, and deeply immersive sensory universe, where the image plays a central role.
