Antigenu

Antigenu is a term used in cultural theory to describe practices and discourses that question or invert the assumption of a stable origin or essence behind objects, statements, or performances. It denotes strategies that obscure, deny, or destabilize the perceived genuineness or provenance of something, rather than simply doubting it. The concept is employed to analyze how authenticity is constructed and contested in contemporary society, including media, branding, and identity politics.

The word antigenu is a neologism formed from anti- (against) and genuineness, drawing on established discussions of authenticity in philosophy and anthropology. It arose in scholarly discussions from the late 20th century onward as researchers examined phenomena such as synthetic media, counterfeit branding, and performative claims of origin.

In practice, antigenu is used to analyze trends in branding where producers evoke signs of provenance while masking artificial production; in digital culture, where deepfakes and AI-generated content complicate authorship and trust; and in performance studies, where artists stage ambiguity about authorship or background to prompt critical reflection on what counts as genuine.

Critics argue that the term can be overly broad or imprecise, risking conflation of deliberate antigenu strategies with ordinary ambiguity. Proponents contend that it provides a useful lens for understanding power relations around authenticity, origin, and trust in a media-saturated world.

See also: authenticity, provenance, simulacrum, counterfeit, performance.