This exhibition explores the phenomenon of original works of art and their various falsifications, from copies to intentional forgeries. The period under investigation covers the first half of the 20th century to the present day. The exhibition is methodologically divided into six sections, according to techniques, procedures, and approaches to creating forgeries. Each section consists of paintings, drawings, graphics, and sculptures, as well as photographs, conceptual works, and new media. Because falsifications are dependent on the market for their “survival,” the exhibition explores them not only through the lens of art history, but also from a legal perspective, allowing a broader inquiry into falsification as a social phenomenon.
Alongside the six main sections, there are two additional,
special sections: The first focuses on appropriation, in which artists use another artist’s style or a concrete work to create their own, original works of art. These new works may quote parts of a work, their style, or be a true 1:1 copy, in which the meaning lies in transferring a work of art from its original context into a new one, creating a new frame of thought.
The second special section deals with the mechanisms and contexts of art dealing and the art market. It will familiarize visitors with, among other things, the distribution of forgeries through the anonymous online market, like virtual auctions and marts, which often sell works of art acquired from unverified sources.
