KEY POINTS:
An exhibition in the small Manawatu town of Mangaweka is causing a stink in arts circles.
Richard Aslett, the creator of Mangaweka's inaugural Fakes and Forgeries exhibition, says his event next month is a light-hearted affair and no one will be ripping off any masterpieces.
However, Palmerston North gallery owner and arts identity Tony Martin is far from amused, and has written to national arts funding body Creative New Zealand and the Rangitikei District Council to ask why public money has been given to what he calls a celebration of crime.
Mr Martin is particularly incensed by a guest star appearance at the festival's closing event by famed forger Karl Sim - notorious for painting works allegedly by colonial artist Charles Goldie.
"Sim's work is rather amateur and his forged art was an insult to the artists and art buyers he ripped off," Mr Martin said.
Some years ago Sim officially changed his name to CF Goldie.
Mr Aslett said Mr Martin had "got the wrong end of the stick" about the Fakes and Forgeries festival, and he should have contacted him to get a rundown about the intentions of the event.
"That [forgery] is not what this about. Anybody who does that kind of thing is doing it in a dark room and shifting it out under the cover of night. This is workshops ... the inspiration and probably even some of the methods of past masters will be used, but there is absolutely no way that the finished products would even be remotely mistaken for being forgeries."
Some people had been invited to the festival to copy a favourite artwork, but their own signatures would be used, Mr Aslett said.
While the festival's name might have offended some, it was snappy and had got people's attention, Mr Aslett said. As for the equally provocative invitation of Karl Sim, the forger had been born in Mangaweka and his connection to the town could not be overlooked.
"Perhaps technically he has this criminal conviction, but he is a New Zealand icon, and it's time people in a way sort of woke up to that and realised that," Mr Aslett said.
"He actually, in his own way, promoted some of the past masters that he copied. They wouldn't be as famous today if it hadn't been for him doing that, and the court case."
Mr Martin said an event which encouraged people to learn about art and artistic techniques would have his support, but an event which encouraged fake art was deplorable.
"The fact they've got a convicted fraudster to participate concerns me greatly, because it is saying there is a process that you can create forged art and make money out of it," Mr Martin said.
The event has been partially funded through the Creative Communities Scheme, under which Creative New Zealand allots funds for local authorities to fund arts events in their area.
Rangitikei District Mayor Bob Buchanan said his council supported an event which celebrated vibrant community life.
"The festival is a wonderful opportunity for families to come together and enjoy an arts-based activity. It is a light-hearted attempt to allow people to experiment with art."
Alastair Carruthers, chairman of Creative New Zealand's Arts Board, said decisions for funding the event were made at a local level. It did not appear any of its rules had been breached, he said.
The event's publicity material had been "provocative", but it was unlikely it would promote forgery, Mr Carruthers said.
"With the greatest of respect to the people of Mangaweka, I think a Mangaweka Mona Lisa is unlikely to trouble the Louvre."
Mike Houlahan
Copyright: Feodor Goldie (formerly Karl Sim) with C.F. Goldie's A Good Joke.
An exhibition in the small Manawatu town of Mangaweka is causing a stink in arts circles.
Richard Aslett, the creator of Mangaweka's inaugural Fakes and Forgeries exhibition, says his event next month is a light-hearted affair and no one will be ripping off any masterpieces.
However, Palmerston North gallery owner and arts identity Tony Martin is far from amused, and has written to national arts funding body Creative New Zealand and the Rangitikei District Council to ask why public money has been given to what he calls a celebration of crime.
Mr Martin is particularly incensed by a guest star appearance at the festival's closing event by famed forger Karl Sim - notorious for painting works allegedly by colonial artist Charles Goldie.
"Sim's work is rather amateur and his forged art was an insult to the artists and art buyers he ripped off," Mr Martin said.
Some years ago Sim officially changed his name to CF Goldie.
Mr Aslett said Mr Martin had "got the wrong end of the stick" about the Fakes and Forgeries festival, and he should have contacted him to get a rundown about the intentions of the event.
"That [forgery] is not what this about. Anybody who does that kind of thing is doing it in a dark room and shifting it out under the cover of night. This is workshops ... the inspiration and probably even some of the methods of past masters will be used, but there is absolutely no way that the finished products would even be remotely mistaken for being forgeries."
Some people had been invited to the festival to copy a favourite artwork, but their own signatures would be used, Mr Aslett said.
While the festival's name might have offended some, it was snappy and had got people's attention, Mr Aslett said. As for the equally provocative invitation of Karl Sim, the forger had been born in Mangaweka and his connection to the town could not be overlooked.
"Perhaps technically he has this criminal conviction, but he is a New Zealand icon, and it's time people in a way sort of woke up to that and realised that," Mr Aslett said.
"He actually, in his own way, promoted some of the past masters that he copied. They wouldn't be as famous today if it hadn't been for him doing that, and the court case."
Mr Martin said an event which encouraged people to learn about art and artistic techniques would have his support, but an event which encouraged fake art was deplorable.
"The fact they've got a convicted fraudster to participate concerns me greatly, because it is saying there is a process that you can create forged art and make money out of it," Mr Martin said.
The event has been partially funded through the Creative Communities Scheme, under which Creative New Zealand allots funds for local authorities to fund arts events in their area.
Rangitikei District Mayor Bob Buchanan said his council supported an event which celebrated vibrant community life.
"The festival is a wonderful opportunity for families to come together and enjoy an arts-based activity. It is a light-hearted attempt to allow people to experiment with art."
Alastair Carruthers, chairman of Creative New Zealand's Arts Board, said decisions for funding the event were made at a local level. It did not appear any of its rules had been breached, he said.
The event's publicity material had been "provocative", but it was unlikely it would promote forgery, Mr Carruthers said.
"With the greatest of respect to the people of Mangaweka, I think a Mangaweka Mona Lisa is unlikely to trouble the Louvre."
