Monday, December 08, 2008

"Where else in the world can you find something the size of a postcard with paint on it worth $5 million?"

The Miami New Times had a piece last week, timed to coincide with Art Basel, on "the rising tide of international art theft," much of it centered around South Florida. The bottom line:

"'The art world is very unregulated, and a lot of deals get done by handshakes and by the dealer's word,' says Bonnie Magness-Gardiner, the Langley-based manager of the FBI's art theft program. 'That kind of environment makes it possible for a lot of these crimes to take place.'"