A yellow and black mask marked with a “P” disguises the identity of the painter featured in the Union art gallery this month. While his true name remains anonymous to even his friends and family, the alias, Pancho Panoptes, displays a deep passion toward breaking down the history of painting through single brushstrokes on simple surfaces.

The anonymous local artist looks to defy the typical concept of painting and recreate the definition of an artist through his exhibit, “The Inevitable Death and Resurrection of Painting.” This is Panoptes’ first solo exhibit, and is meant to begin a revolution as it looks to obliterate all common perceptions toward painting.

“The main point of this exhibit is to destroy a history, so that we can build it up again,” said Panoptes. “In killing it, I’m also expecting a resurrection of sorts [and] for people to realize that they have the potential to also create, and hopefully that inspires people to create.”

The exhibit features single brushstrokes of various colors on simple surfaces like mirrors, canvas and glass. Panoptes uses a palate inspired by the colors of a peacock and uses paint brushes and sometimes brooms to create his mark.

Each painting is titled with a time stamp that ranges from one second to about one minute. The artist uses a stopwatch to record the few seconds it takes for him to make another mark in time.

“These paintings serve somewhat as a diary, and every mark records a certain moment, so I try to keep in touch with what’s happening in the world, what’s happening in my life, and the things I want to record.”

The artist’s disguise is used as a metaphor to show the public that anyone could be behind the mask, even themselves.With it, he stresses that anyone has the ability to create art and paintings, contrary to what he believes the history of painting has made society believe.

“[The alias] started out as a criticism toward the art world [because] it seems that at one point painting was striving to be something very ideal, something that revolved around beauty or the sublime, and through the centuries its been destroyed, and I wanted to put an end to it,” said Panoptes.

He emphasizes that the beauty in the paintings comes from the fact that a brushstroke can never be replicated.

Each stroke on a surface is a unique stamp in time that will never happen the same way again.

“I’m really glad we did this exhibit because it’s so different from what we normally do,” said Grace Sears, the director of arts for the Illini Union Board and a sophomore in business. “This type of thing really expresses a different point of view that would mean something more to students, especially when they are trying to create their own voice.”

After viewing the exhibit, Seda Tuzun, a graduate student in architecture, explained that the exhibit got her mind thinking.

“I think it’s important because when people see art, it makes their imagination work better,” said Tuzun.

Panoptes looks to remind society that simplicity is the basis of art.

“I don’t want to represent anything. I just want to show what [painting] is. It’s paint on a surface. Nothing more, nothing less,” Panoptes said.

Pancho Panoptes has only begun his journey in redefining painting, and he has high hopes for his work in the future. He looks for more exposure, so the public can realize that they too can be part of the movement.

“It’s hard to express the importance of art to students on campus because they don’t really see it as affecting them, and I think that the point of this exhibit can really make an impact on them,” said Sears.