"New" Basquiat works are coming to Orlando Museum of Art?! We were there the opening week. Meeting one of the higher ups with the Museum before we walked the exhibit, and it was as if a cloud was over hanging. My enthusiasm was immediately dampened.
I could not tell if the staff member was extremely curmudgeon, disliked me, or maybe he was having a bad day. We all have bad days, so I tried not to take it personal.
But the truth is, it was much more insidious. In hindsight, I suspect the staff was on pins and needles. Given the fact that there were (yet to be proven) fraudulent Basquiat works being shown in their facility. Not just one fake Basquiat, but a full show of questionable works.....
The look on my face says it all.... 🙂
Exciting news when The Orlando Museum of Art was showcasing new Basquiat works. During the opening week, I had the opportunity to meet one of the Museum's higher-ups before exploring the exhibit. However, there seemed to be a sense of unease in the air that affected my initial enthusiasm.
It was difficult to gauge whether the staff member I interacted with was simply grumpy, held a personal dislike towards me, or was simply having a bad day. Recognizing that we all experience off days, I tried not to take it personally.
In retrospect, the situation was more complicated than I initially realized. It seems that the staff members were dealing with a significant issue. There were suspicions of fraudulent Basquiat works being displayed at the museum, although they had not been definitively proven. Rather than just one counterfeit piece, the entire exhibition was under question, raising concerns about its authenticity.
UPDATE: The works have been acknowledged to have been fake.
Jean Michel Basquiat, FBI, and Orlando museum of art investigate the artworks
No Such Thing As Bad Publicity
Initially I suspected the controversy was a shrewd marketing tactic by The OMA to boost ticket sales. As they say, no such thing as bad publicity
I'm not an expert on Basquiat, and it seems the forgers weren't either. But one doesn't need to be an expert to notice certain things. What immediately stands out is the inconsistency among the purported Mumford works. It's as if two different people drew them. The marks and style vary across the pieces, even before comparing them to authenticated Basquiat works.
Moreover, the materials used in these works appear to be different from those used in authentic Basquiat pieces. Additionally, the color palette doesn't align completely with Basquiat's body of work. The colors lack the consistent appearance seen in other Basquiat works. They appear to have a heavier saturation, among other discrepancies.
And all of this is before we even delve into the controversy surrounding the Fed Ex box.
Overall Impression
I was eagerly anticipating the opportunity to see these works at the Orlando Museum of Art. I went in assuming the controversy was clever marketing. And I assumed any discrepancy in "artistic hand" would attributed to Basquiat's drug use in that LA that period(which took his life)
Considering the possibility that Basquiat had switched media or paints while allegedly working in LA instead of NYC during that time, I tried to keep an open mind. I looked for a reasonable explanation behind the discrepancies.
Nevertheless, after careful consideration, I am inclined to believe that these works are counterfeit. The contrived nature of the pieces gives it away; they appear as if someone was trying excessively hard. And that simply doesn't align with Basquiat's authentic style and essence.
UPDATE: The works have been acknowledged to have been fake... And anyone who saw them in person was not surprised...
