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Tracing art forgeries
A group of art enthusiasts has released a book on identifying fake paintings in an effort to provide reference for fellow collectors to avoid buying forgeries while encouraging discussion of fiding solutions
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A group of art enthusiasts has released a book on identifying fake paintings in an effort to provide reference for fellow collectors to avoid buying forgeries while encouraging discussion of fiding solutions.
The group ' the Indonesian Art Lovers Association (PPSI) ' launched the book, entitled Jejak Lukisan Palsu Indonesia (Tracing Fake Indonesian Paintings) at the National Gallery in Central Jakarta on Thursday.
The 382-page book, which targets art collectors, contains a number of articles by prominent art collectors, curators, academics and police representatives. It contains research into the practice of forgery, articles by experts and recommendations for collectors in identifying fake paintings.
PPSI chairman Budi Setiadharma said that debate over the forgery of paintings by prominent Indonesian artists had surfaced over the past few years.
'It came to a head in 2012 when collector Oei Hong Djien opened a museum and we questioned the authenticity of his collection,' Budi, who is also president commissioner of PT Astra International, said during the book launch.
In April 2012, the Oei Hong Djien Museum opened its third wing in Magelang, Central Java. The museum houses
several thousand fine-art pieces, spanning a century of work by emerging Indonesian artists to established masters.
The museum has been a target of numerous allegations of forgery regarding many pieces by late maestros ' including Raden Saleh, Affandi, Hendra Gunawan and S. Sudjojono ' in its collection.
Oei has remained adamant that his collection contains only originals, saying he was ready to let independent curators inspect his collection and remove any artwork proved to be fake.
In the same year, Tempo magazine published an investigative report about the accusation by interviewing heirs of the maestros, art collectors and historical witnesses. The report's writers concluded that it was hard to ascertain whether the artwork in Oei collection were all originals.
For the book, PPSI formed a team to investigate fake paintings in
Indonesia and discovered that most painting forgers were well organized, with the majority of them residing in Java.
The group explained that there were at least three types of painting forgeries.
The first type is a painting made as an exact copy of an existing painting with the forged autograph of the original painter.
The second type is artwork painted using the same style as the original artist and a forged autograph so as to pass it off as one of the said artist's paintings, despite the artist making no such painting.
The third type is a painting fused with parts of a painting by another artist, whose autograph is then faked in the resulting painting.
Syakieb Sungkar, one of the book's authors, said the book offered an in depth study about painting forgeries in Indonesia.
'The book offers studies from the first page to the last. It's about investigation, about who the painters were, what paintings were forged, why they were forged and many other things,' said Syakieb, who is also an art collector.
Syakieb said that the book offered a number of preliminary solutions on countering forgeries.
'A painting should be analyzed visually in accordance to the painter's style, including colors and strokes. Buyers should be able to ascertain a painting's provenance, its sales record and previous owners of the work to learn whether it is truly the work of the claimed artist.
'A forensic test can also be done to help determine originality,' Syakieb said.
Syakieb said the group hoped the book would serve as input for the government to improve Indonesian copyright laws.
'Our current Copyright Law covers very little on painting forgeries; it focuses more on trademark and photo reproduction. Nowadays, forging paintings and autographs is not considered a crime of art forgery but a crime of autograph forgery,' he says.
'The law needs to be revised so we can stop forgery and arrest forgers.'
' Photos courtesy of PPSI
