Bakerhouse Gallery
Graz / Berlin

Mason Storm

British artist Mason Storm is known for his provocative works that poke fun at the hypocrisies of modern society.
Show Artworks

Biography

Mason Storm was born in London, Great Britain. He never attended a "normal" art school. His artistic training began when he was about 12 or 13 years old. One night when he was visiting the local youth center, his judo class was cancelled, so he went to the art class his friend was teaching. For about 15 years, he walked in and out every night.

The teachers who taught there at the time were students who supplemented their stipend by working at the center while creating their own works. After graduating from the Royal Academy of Arts, the Royal College of Arts and Central St. Martins, they became leaders in the contemporary art world in the United Kingdom.

Art has always remained his passion, but Mason put it aside while he embarked on a career that was very far from the world of art. He can't divulge all the details of his career path, but here are the most important stages: Judo/self-defense instructor, freelance security contractor, security consultant/freelance intelligence analyst, journalist specializing in intelligence/espionage/terrorism, law school graduate, attorney.

As a diversion, Mason took up sculpture and was asked to participate in an exhibition. From there, he gradually returned to art. It is far more entertaining than his earlier activities.

Mason's work is considered controversial and provocative, but he never tries to be controversial just for the sake of it; there is always a reason for his work.

Mason is probably best known for his mask. It has become a trademark that hides his identity while giving him an air of mystique that helps him with publicity and public relations. He started wearing it when he announced in 2010 that he would unveil the face of the artist Banksy in an oil painting. The whole campaign was nothing more than a big marketing ploy, and it worked.

The supposed unveiling of Banksy earned him a lot of negative publicity and occasional death threats. Nothing he hadn't encountered many times in his previous life, but he knew that remaining anonymous would anger Banksy's followers even more. Secondly, he has met and dealt with some extremely dangerous men in his career so far. There is no risk to his safety, but he would prefer that the two worlds never collide. Besides, he occasionally works as a freelancer, and it's better for him to remain hidden, so to speak. So, apart from its marketing potential, the mask offers him the opportunity to stay hidden.