Can a forgery be authentic?
I know you don’t want to ponder the definition of “authenticity” during ‘Netflix and Chill’ night … but do it anyway. Watch the documentary Beltracchi: The Art of Forgery. Beltracchi fooled the art world for decades, making millions with his impeccable forgeries. Then he (sort of) went to prison.
Beltracchi is also a pretty funny guy. One of my favourite moments in the film is a conversation between him and Art Historian Henry Keazor. Keazor says that when art historians authenticate fakes, they look foolish. Beltracchi replies, laughing, “If you write a catalogue of works … bring it to me first.”
In contrast, the auctioneers, gallery owners, and art collectors that Beltracchi tricked out of those millions, are not so funny. They’re stuffy, obsessed with money, and hate being told that they’re wrong. Yeah, Beltracchi is a criminal. But isn’t paying millions of dollars for a painting already criminal? I think Beltracchi’s real work of art is revealing the fakery of the art world.
Plus, you have to admit, Beltracchi’s paintings are beautiful. And isn’t that the whole point of art? It isn’t the price … it’s what’s in the frame that counts. Yeah, it might not be a painting by (insert famous artist here), but it’s still nice to look at.
So grab your bae and make it a ‘Netflix and Authenticity Debate’ night tonight.
Note: You might find Beltracchi: The Art of the Forgery under it’s original, more intimidating-sounding German title: Beltracchi: Die Kunst der Fälschung.
ART IS STUPID 