Wednesday, October 11, 2006

Phony Hirsts?

The New York Times had this report this morning (scroll to the bottom):

"Suspicion of forgery has led Sotheby’s in London to withdraw from sale three limited-edition prints attributed to Damien Hirst, the BBC reported. Featuring randomly colored circles in a grid, the prints are in his trademark spot style and, if genuine, would be worth as much as $18,600 each. They are believed to have drawn attention from forgers who use advanced technology to copy artworks. Sotheby’s confirmed that the pictures had been withdrawn and that their authenticity was being investigated. The BBC said apparent differences in the artist’s signature and in the color of the spots had aroused suspicion. 'As soon as something is worth money, it becomes a target for forgers,' said Hector Patterson, a fine arts consultant and appraiser. 'Auction houses are, on the whole, vigilant about this problem, as their repute is partly at stake.'"