The notorious creator of fake artworks gets his own exhibition
Recently the Dulwich Picture Gallery in London set up an experiment. They placed a fake painting in amongst the masters, and asked viewers at the gallery if they could spot the forgery. It’s an interesting concept, wondering whether it’s possible to tell the different between authentic paintings and those that are merely replications. But it also raises a question: if you can replicate a master’s work perfectly, then are you an artist too?
Looking at John Myatt’s recreations of famous artworks, the lines between the two are blurred. Myatt spent time in prison for creating some of the greatest art fraud of the 20th Century, but his collections of work demonstrate an extreme amount of skill and finesse. Now using his talents for more legitimate means, Myatt continues to produce renderings of famous artworks, from the Surrealism of Salvador Dali to the impressionism of Claude Monet. Myatt takes to any style with ease, making you wonder if this notorious faker is actually the real master.
