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‘The biggest art-fraud of the 20th century.’ How One Man Fooled the Modern Art Establishment


THE CONMAN How One Man Fooled the Modern Art Establishment by Laney Salisbury & Aly Sujo

When John Drewe read a Private Eye ad for ‘genuine fakes’ from struggling artist John Myatt, he hit upon an extraordinary idea that would create Britain’s biggest art scandal of the 20th Century and was to centre around Alberto Giacometti, the world’s most expensive artist since 3 Feb 2010.

Magnetic, intelligent, suave, ‘Professor’ Drewe forged a partnership with the cash-strapped painter who felt he had finally met his saviour. Instead, slowly he drew the artist into a web of deceit, crime and shifting identities that allowed himself to penetrate the heart of the world’s exclusive art world and meet, wine and dine the most hard-nosed gallery holders and most powerful in the arts – including Sir Nicholas Serota.

While Myatt turns out to order modern art in any style, at times mixing diy paint with ky jelly (he is allergic to oil paints.), Drewe discovers the modern art world is just waiting to be conned. Art with ‘proof’ of authenticity sells no questions asked. Claiming to be a descendant of the earl of York, a historian of the Nazi era, an army lieutenant, a weapons expert and a hang glider, Drewe thus set about insinuating himself into the most prestigious archives including the ICA and Tate Gallery. Even the most hardnosed gallery holders are taken in.

Only one person wasn’t. Mary Lisa Palmer of the Giacometti Association spotted a Myatt in a Sotheby’s catalogue being offered for sale as a genuine Giacometti with a guide price of £148-250,000. She immediately demanded that the work be withdrawn. But this book shows the extraordinary difficulty one faces when challenging a work of art as a fake. While the association continued its work doggedly, The Conman shows that it was only by unrelated happenstance that the police was able to capture John Drewe and end the decade-long fraud he had set up.

This is the first book on this extraordinary real-life thriller, showing that all you need to con the sophisticated art world is a plausible story, a plausible suit and a hint that you may one day give away your art collection for free!

About the Authors

Aly Sujo was educated in Britain, Venezuela and the US. Sujo came from a family of collectors and artists and covered the arts and entertainment for Reuters and the Associated Press. Laney Salisbury worked for Reuters, the Associated Press, and the Jordan Times, reporting from Africa and the Middle East. This is her second book.

‘The biggest art-fraud of the 20th century.’

Scotland Yard

‘Compelling, provocative… serious research.’

Ed Ceasar, Art Correspondent Sunday Times

‘Rattles along like a thriller.’

Georgina Adam, Freeland Art editor Financial Times

BUY from Amazon:www.amazon.co.uk

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