BERLIN's True Copy Dives into the World of Art Forgery

“I’d almost lost the knack,” Geert Jan Jansen joked in 1994, after signing his own verdict. And he wasn’t being ironic. Before he got caught over a spelling mistake on an art certificate, Jansen had hoodwinked the art world into buying his forged paintings for 20 years. The Dutchman had a gigantic collection: the police found some 1,600 imitations of grandmasters such as Dalí, Miró and Matisse in his French abode. As a result, Jansen was sentenced to a year in prison in 2000 and then released. One of the reasons he was let go was that the police had confused real works with forgeries and were unable to distinguish them at a later stage. Talk about irony.

After Perhaps All the Dragons, Jansen—now a respected painter in his own right—is working with BERLIN a second time. The company, known for its interdisciplinary and documentary approach, puts Jansen centre stage in True Copy. By telling Jansen’s story, BERLIN co-founders Bart Baele and Yves Degryse reflect on the hypocritical art world and the value of authenticity: “Suppose you are moved by a painting in a museum, and someone tells you it is actually by Geert Jan. Both its emotional and financial value will plummet. Why is that?”

You are known for combining different art forms. What can we expect from True Copy?

Baele: We can’t give away too much of the game yet. Let’s just say it contains a documentary part that takes place outside the theatre space and which we ourselves do not control The show also includes a lecture by Geert Jan Jansen and a peep inside an actual studio, where you see him in action

Degryse: The studio is based on Geert Jan’s workplace in his French castle, where he devoted one room to each artist he imitated Since each of them demanded a different approach (documentation and materials), it was an ideal way of working. In his actual workplace, no one was allowed to look inside the studio a situation we are replicating in True Copy

Do you view forgers as criminals or artists, considering that they question our way of looking at and dealing with art more than most?

Baele: Geert Jan himself refers to his forgeries as skilful creations, not art. Oddly enough, and seemingly diametrically opposed to his actions, he finds originality very important. He draws huge satisfaction from making his current work, which he does sign with his own name. He is known mostly for his forgeries, but his own work is also exhibited in several venues. His notoriety attracts a certain crowd, which can sometimes also work against him. A forger who suddenly starts doing his own thing? That’s not something the art world is waiting for. Many people such as the art dealers who sold his "creations" are still miffed at him.

Degryse: On the other hand, you may ask yourself: Why should something be real simply because everyone believes it? Wolfgang Beltracchi, a German forger, made a painting that combined all the important characteristics of another artist's style The artist’s unsuspecting spouse believed it was genuine and even said it was her husband’s most beautiful piece. In her eyes, it synthesised his entire oeuvre Fantastic, no?

Was Jansen also addressing the hypocrisy of the art world, where authenticity is mainly a way of making money?

Degryse: It depends on who you ask Geert Jan himself will answer in the affirmative, although he did have a financial motive for doing what he did Chances are that those who unmasked him will find such an answer typical of master forgers, in that they invariably emphasise their critical take on things.

Baele: Many people are angry, not only because Geert Jan forged masterpieces, but also because he publicly pointed the finger at the art world, since galleries and auction houses were well aware of what was going on.