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Is signature necessary for an activity to be labelled “art”, for a producer to be categorized as an “artist”? In other words, does signature mean “artification”? Raised about several categories of creators, this question is addressed throughout the history of painting and sculpture, contemporary art, photography, cinema, as well as curating. The conclusion is that artistic categorization goes together with signature, whatever its forms; so that the presence of a signature is a major clue indicating that an activity has reached the status of art.