ID Shirt by Allan Wexler UP249
ID Shirt (1971) is a riff on McLuhan’s 1968 concept of the global village. The questionnaire, filled out with a permanent marker is intended to spark connections when worn in public. In a city of eight million people, the shirt holds the power to reveal coincidence. Two strangers passing on the street, one wearing the ID Shirt and both born in a remote town in Alaska could have a delightful encounter initiated by the shirt.
In the late 1960s, t-shirts with commercial advertising and protester messages had only recently come on the market. Wexler felt that his body should not be available for corporate images but could be a good place to advertise himself.
“When Ellen and I moved to New York in 1972, graffiti was suddenly everywhere and the ID Shirt became another way to visually establish personal identity” Wexler said.
allanwexlerstudio.com/
In the late 1960s, t-shirts with commercial advertising and protester messages had only recently come on the market. Wexler felt that his body should not be available for corporate images but could be a good place to advertise himself.
“When Ellen and I moved to New York in 1972, graffiti was suddenly everywhere and the ID Shirt became another way to visually establish personal identity” Wexler said.
allanwexlerstudio.com/
![](https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/5c24826939f67b61d903293760e2ef5aa6693ed0e8d075c614b09968d1344e6e/alex-wexler-id-t-shirt-underprospective.jpeg)
![](https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/bcf20ad7bd876a6bf43bd53aabd9468d659331ffe6f2800b4dacdd6e887fd448/alex-wexler-id-t-shirt-underprospective-01.jpeg)
![](https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/7d2f04f8ef3e2484e893f3288c6a24d797ceb5ce2eac20c6bdf36daa121cc082/alex-wexler-id-t-shirt-underprospective-02.jpeg)
![](https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/f7d495aa852edecee2c6231ab532f359813afb03c1b87fe3b917e14be942f48b/alex-wexler-id-t-shirt-underprospective-03.jpeg)
![](https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/f092f0a3dba8138c9057133d34fe40bf3b3e55f4dc5fef7e316b1abbd94206fc/alex-wexler-id-t-shirt-underprospective-04.jpeg)
![](https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/ebba234ff0916117fb2e2af73261e2723437b37f5dde28c9bb63869bc79fb644/alex-wexler-id-t-shirt-underprospective-05.jpeg)