Comments on: New Frida Kahlo Collection Denounced as a Fake http://www.artfagcity.com/2009/08/21/new-frida-kahlo-collection-denounced-as-a-fake/ New York art news and reviews. Mon, 13 Feb 2012 18:39:00 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2.1 By: nycarthttp://www.artfagcity.com/2009/08/21/new-frida-kahlo-collection-denounced-as-a-fake/comment-page-1/#comment-183531 nycart Tue, 29 Sep 2009 04:35:11 +0000 http://www.artfagcity.com/?p=9239#comment-183531 It's easy to dismiss the collection as fake if all you know are Kahlo's late paintings, but if you look at the existing verified canon of drawings, letters, preliminary sketches, etc many if not most of the sketches/letters have analogues. Kahlo was someone who produced drawings/painting/writing almost daily and there is a great range to her work.I agree a few of the more finished paintings in the book are a bit more problematic but if the story is true, they could easily be paintings made by students, fans of Kahlo during her lifetime. This is thought to be a collection... she was an incessant collector, and was surrounded by students/admirers during later life. Surely some of them produced hero worship art.Much of the ephemera should be verifiable, and some of it has been convincingly authenticated. The truth is we don't know the story behind this cache and it's a mistake to write it off so cavalierly.The Mexican art world if rife with political intrigue and there are many people who have reason to dismiss the paintings. It seems to me that the dealers really do believe they have found something important, they are serious people but obviously they have a vested interest in the find being true. The only way this will be resolved will be if the collection is sent out of Mexico for study by a group of impartial scholars unaligned with the various Mexican artworld factions. It’s easy to dismiss the collection as fake if all you know are Kahlo’s late paintings, but if you look at the existing verified canon of drawings, letters, preliminary sketches, etc many if not most of the sketches/letters have analogues. Kahlo was someone who produced drawings/painting/writing almost daily and there is a great range to her work.

I agree a few of the more finished paintings in the book are a bit more problematic but if the story is true, they could easily be paintings made by students, fans of Kahlo during her lifetime. This is thought to be a collection… she was an incessant collector, and was surrounded by students/admirers during later life. Surely some of them produced hero worship art.

Much of the ephemera should be verifiable, and some of it has been convincingly authenticated. The truth is we don’t know the story behind this cache and it’s a mistake to write it off so cavalierly.

The Mexican art world if rife with political intrigue and there are many people who have reason to dismiss the paintings. It seems to me that the dealers really do believe they have found something important, they are serious people but obviously they have a vested interest in the find being true. The only way this will be resolved will be if the collection is sent out of Mexico for study by a group of impartial scholars unaligned with the various Mexican artworld factions.

]]> By: nycarthttp://www.artfagcity.com/2009/08/21/new-frida-kahlo-collection-denounced-as-a-fake/comment-page-1/#comment-317248 nycart Tue, 29 Sep 2009 04:35:00 +0000 http://www.artfagcity.com/?p=9239#comment-317248 It's easy to dismiss the collection as fake if all you know are Kahlo's late paintings, but if you look at the existing verified canon of drawings, letters, preliminary sketches, etc many if not most of the sketches/letters have analogues. Kahlo was someone who produced drawings/painting/writing almost daily and there is a great range to her work.I agree a few of the more finished paintings in the book are a bit more problematic but if the story is true, they could easily be paintings made by students, fans of Kahlo during her lifetime. This is thought to be a collection... she was an incessant collector, and was surrounded by students/admirers during later life. Surely some of them produced hero worship art.Much of the ephemera should be verifiable, and some of it has been convincingly authenticated. The truth is we don't know the story behind this cache and it's a mistake to write it off so cavalierly.The Mexican art world if rife with political intrigue and there are many people who have reason to dismiss the paintings. It seems to me that the dealers really do believe they have found something important, they are serious people but obviously they have a vested interest in the find being true. The only way this will be resolved will be if the collection is sent out of Mexico for study by a group of impartial scholars unaligned with the various Mexican artworld factions. It’s easy to dismiss the collection as fake if all you know are Kahlo’s late paintings, but if you look at the existing verified canon of drawings, letters, preliminary sketches, etc many if not most of the sketches/letters have analogues. Kahlo was someone who produced drawings/painting/writing almost daily and there is a great range to her work.

I agree a few of the more finished paintings in the book are a bit more problematic but if the story is true, they could easily be paintings made by students, fans of Kahlo during her lifetime. This is thought to be a collection… she was an incessant collector, and was surrounded by students/admirers during later life. Surely some of them produced hero worship art.

Much of the ephemera should be verifiable, and some of it has been convincingly authenticated. The truth is we don’t know the story behind this cache and it’s a mistake to write it off so cavalierly.

The Mexican art world if rife with political intrigue and there are many people who have reason to dismiss the paintings. It seems to me that the dealers really do believe they have found something important, they are serious people but obviously they have a vested interest in the find being true. The only way this will be resolved will be if the collection is sent out of Mexico for study by a group of impartial scholars unaligned with the various Mexican artworld factions.

]]> By: Urracahttp://www.artfagcity.com/2009/08/21/new-frida-kahlo-collection-denounced-as-a-fake/comment-page-1/#comment-183519 Urraca Tue, 29 Sep 2009 03:39:27 +0000 http://www.artfagcity.com/?p=9239#comment-183519 ", the largely self-taught Kahlo had little innate facility" This quote, from the LA Times piece, tells me an awful lot about the author's eye.I am no expert in matters of art authentication, but am an artist who has seen most of the extant ( acknowledged) Kahlos in person...what I have see of this 'new" material looks laughably wrong. Offensively wrong. The drawings simply do not look like her hand."Little innate facility", eh? Also laughably wrong. “, the largely self-taught Kahlo had little innate facility”
This quote, from the LA Times piece, tells me an awful lot about the author’s eye.

I am no expert in matters of art authentication, but am an artist who has seen most of the extant ( acknowledged) Kahlos in person…

what I have see of this ‘new” material looks laughably wrong. Offensively wrong. The drawings simply do not look like her hand.

“Little innate facility”, eh?
Also laughably wrong.

]]> By: Urracahttp://www.artfagcity.com/2009/08/21/new-frida-kahlo-collection-denounced-as-a-fake/comment-page-1/#comment-317247 Urraca Tue, 29 Sep 2009 03:39:00 +0000 http://www.artfagcity.com/?p=9239#comment-317247 ", the largely self-taught Kahlo had little innate facility" This quote, from the LA Times piece, tells me an awful lot about the author's eye.I am no expert in matters of art authentication, but am an artist who has seen most of the extant ( acknowledged) Kahlos in person...what I have see of this 'new" material looks laughably wrong. Offensively wrong. The drawings simply do not look like her hand."Little innate facility", eh? Also laughably wrong. “, the largely self-taught Kahlo had little innate facility”
This quote, from the LA Times piece, tells me an awful lot about the author’s eye.

I am no expert in matters of art authentication, but am an artist who has seen most of the extant ( acknowledged) Kahlos in person…

what I have see of this ‘new” material looks laughably wrong. Offensively wrong. The drawings simply do not look like her hand.

“Little innate facility”, eh?
Also laughably wrong.

]]> By: Kevin Lipperthttp://www.artfagcity.com/2009/08/21/new-frida-kahlo-collection-denounced-as-a-fake/comment-page-1/#comment-176995 Kevin Lippert Wed, 09 Sep 2009 01:53:24 +0000 http://www.artfagcity.com/?p=9239#comment-176995 Another balanced post on this controversy at http://accidentalmysteries.blogspot.com/2009/09/controversy-surrounds-recent-frida.html I hope you all will enjoy.\nThanks,\nKevin Lippert\nPrinceton Architectural Press Another balanced post on this controversy at http://accidentalmysteries.blogspot.com/2009/09/controversy-surrounds-recent-frida.html I hope you all will enjoy.\nThanks,\nKevin Lippert\nPrinceton Architectural Press

]]> By: Kevin Lipperthttp://www.artfagcity.com/2009/08/21/new-frida-kahlo-collection-denounced-as-a-fake/comment-page-1/#comment-317246 Kevin Lippert Wed, 09 Sep 2009 01:53:00 +0000 http://www.artfagcity.com/?p=9239#comment-317246 Another balanced post on this controversy at http://accidentalmysteries.blogspot.com/2009/09/controversy-surrounds-recent-frida.html I hope you all will enjoy.nThanks,nKevin LippertnPrinceton Architectural Press Another balanced post on this controversy at http://accidentalmysteries.blogspot.com/2009/09/controversy-surrounds-recent-frida.html I hope you all will enjoy.nThanks,nKevin LippertnPrinceton Architectural Press

]]> By: Kevin Lipperthttp://www.artfagcity.com/2009/08/21/new-frida-kahlo-collection-denounced-as-a-fake/comment-page-1/#comment-175602 Kevin Lippert Fri, 04 Sep 2009 13:48:22 +0000 http://www.artfagcity.com/?p=9239#comment-175602 As publisher of the book, it's hard to refrain from jumping into this discussion, but instead I'd like to point out a piece in this morning's Los Angeles Times which is by far the most balanced account of this controversy yet published: http://www.latimes.com/entertainment/news/arts/la-ca-kahlo6-2009sep06,0,6241110,full.story Hope you and your readers find it illuminating.Thanks, Kevin Lippert As publisher of the book, it’s hard to refrain from jumping into this discussion, but instead I’d like to point out a piece in this morning’s Los Angeles Times which is by far the most balanced account of this controversy yet published: http://www.latimes.com/entertainment/news/arts/la-ca-kahlo6-2009sep06,0,6241110,full.story
Hope you and your readers find it illuminating.

Thanks,
Kevin Lippert

]]> By: Kevin Lipperthttp://www.artfagcity.com/2009/08/21/new-frida-kahlo-collection-denounced-as-a-fake/comment-page-1/#comment-317245 Kevin Lippert Fri, 04 Sep 2009 13:48:00 +0000 http://www.artfagcity.com/?p=9239#comment-317245 As publisher of the book, it's hard to refrain from jumping into this discussion, but instead I'd like to point out a piece in this morning's Los Angeles Times which is by far the most balanced account of this controversy yet published: http://www.latimes.com/entertainment/news/arts/la-ca-kahlo6-2009sep06,0,6241110,full.story Hope you and your readers find it illuminating.Thanks, Kevin Lippert As publisher of the book, it’s hard to refrain from jumping into this discussion, but instead I’d like to point out a piece in this morning’s Los Angeles Times which is by far the most balanced account of this controversy yet published: http://www.latimes.com/entertainment/news/arts/la-ca-kahlo6-2009sep06,0,6241110,full.story
Hope you and your readers find it illuminating.

Thanks,
Kevin Lippert

]]> By: Archie Fuddhttp://www.artfagcity.com/2009/08/21/new-frida-kahlo-collection-denounced-as-a-fake/comment-page-1/#comment-172849 Archie Fudd Sat, 29 Aug 2009 18:27:47 +0000 http://www.artfagcity.com/?p=9239#comment-172849 Why is it that everyone that says that the collection is fake refuses to see it? Just as photos can be enhanced to make something look better, they can also be manipulated to make something look worse. The only way to be sure of something, now days, is to see it in person. I have heard that the owners of the collection have had forensic art experts, which do the same work for museums all over the world, analyze this collection. Why don’t the art “experts” that use the results of these real forensic experts for other art works want to see their results of this particular collection?There are comments here that say that the “experts” do not charge for authentication of artwork, but how naïve can you get? In the real world, this is the way that they become wealthy and by controlling the artwork of certain artists where they can dictate prices and have a take on art sold. This is how things work in the real world. This is why, after getting the value of Kahlo’s work to be worth millions, they don’t want items, that they do not control, of this artist to become available. They are afraid that if that if more of her work becomes available, the value of the pieces that they do control will come tumbling down, and they cannot afford this to happen. This is the real reason that they will always say that work that they don’t control to be fake, even if it is real, but if they did control the collection, then they would sing another tune.Archie Why is it that everyone that says that the collection is fake refuses to see it? Just as photos can be enhanced to make something look better, they can also be manipulated to make something look worse. The only way to be sure of something, now days, is to see it in person. I have heard that the owners of the collection have had forensic art experts, which do the same work for museums all over the world, analyze this collection. Why don’t the art “experts” that use the results of these real forensic experts for other art works want to see their results of this particular collection?

There are comments here that say that the “experts” do not charge for authentication of artwork, but how naïve can you get? In the real world, this is the way that they become wealthy and by controlling the artwork of certain artists where they can dictate prices and have a take on art sold. This is how things work in the real world. This is why, after getting the value of Kahlo’s work to be worth millions, they don’t want items, that they do not control, of this artist to become available. They are afraid that if that if more of her work becomes available, the value of the pieces that they do control will come tumbling down, and they cannot afford this to happen. This is the real reason that they will always say that work that they don’t control to be fake, even if it is real, but if they did control the collection, then they would sing another tune.

Archie

]]> By: Archie Fuddhttp://www.artfagcity.com/2009/08/21/new-frida-kahlo-collection-denounced-as-a-fake/comment-page-1/#comment-317244 Archie Fudd Sat, 29 Aug 2009 18:27:00 +0000 http://www.artfagcity.com/?p=9239#comment-317244 Why is it that everyone that says that the collection is fake refuses to see it? Just as photos can be enhanced to make something look better, they can also be manipulated to make something look worse. The only way to be sure of something, now days, is to see it in person. I have heard that the owners of the collection have had forensic art experts, which do the same work for museums all over the world, analyze this collection. Why don’t the art “experts” that use the results of these real forensic experts for other art works want to see their results of this particular collection?There are comments here that say that the “experts” do not charge for authentication of artwork, but how naïve can you get? In the real world, this is the way that they become wealthy and by controlling the artwork of certain artists where they can dictate prices and have a take on art sold. This is how things work in the real world. This is why, after getting the value of Kahlo’s work to be worth millions, they don’t want items, that they do not control, of this artist to become available. They are afraid that if that if more of her work becomes available, the value of the pieces that they do control will come tumbling down, and they cannot afford this to happen. This is the real reason that they will always say that work that they don’t control to be fake, even if it is real, but if they did control the collection, then they would sing another tune.Archie Why is it that everyone that says that the collection is fake refuses to see it? Just as photos can be enhanced to make something look better, they can also be manipulated to make something look worse. The only way to be sure of something, now days, is to see it in person. I have heard that the owners of the collection have had forensic art experts, which do the same work for museums all over the world, analyze this collection. Why don’t the art “experts” that use the results of these real forensic experts for other art works want to see their results of this particular collection?

There are comments here that say that the “experts” do not charge for authentication of artwork, but how naïve can you get? In the real world, this is the way that they become wealthy and by controlling the artwork of certain artists where they can dictate prices and have a take on art sold. This is how things work in the real world. This is why, after getting the value of Kahlo’s work to be worth millions, they don’t want items, that they do not control, of this artist to become available. They are afraid that if that if more of her work becomes available, the value of the pieces that they do control will come tumbling down, and they cannot afford this to happen. This is the real reason that they will always say that work that they don’t control to be fake, even if it is real, but if they did control the collection, then they would sing another tune.

Archie

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