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Dissertation
The Legend of the Art Forger: Exploring how the conventions of literary hoax and archetypal images can be employed to interrogate the relationship between traditional art forger's memoir and authenticity
University of the Sunshine Coast, Queensland
Doctor of Philosophy, University of the Sunshine Coast, Queensland
2025
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.25907/00961
Abstract
This practice-led research explores the notion of authenticity in relation to the art forger’s memoir. Though the art forger has carved a life and career out of deceiving people, their memoir is conventionally represented in a non-fiction form that authentically depicts their life and career. This study questions the validity of this suggestion and investigates how a fictional representation of the art forger can be considered authentic. This thesis scrutinises how the art forger character in the memoir is constructed and examines the commonalities in the figure’s representation against the biographical testimony of two art forgers. I argue that the art forger struggles with the tensions between the authentic and inauthentic, and the non-fiction memoir is their attempt to examine this struggle and explore the questions it provokes truthfully.
The study adopted an autoethnographic approach and combines creative and reflexive phases of research. The data was collected through semi-structured interviews with two art forgers. It was contextualised in the typical representation of the art forger by interrogating the narrative of the art forger character in non-fiction forms such as memoir and biography and to scrutinise the construction of their character.
The research findings suggest that the art forger in memoir is an inauthentic avatar that can be constructed and identified through eight archetypes. The findings indicate that the art forger represented in the memoir is rendered, bolstering the figure’s legendary public reputation. Though the memoir is an opportunity to tell the truth about their life and career, the opportunity is typically resisted. These conclusions indicate the authentic art forger’s story has not yet been told. The inauthentic account bolsters the art forger’s legendary status but adds little knowledge to the character.
Details
- Title
- The Legend of the Art Forger: Exploring how the conventions of literary hoax and archetypal images can be employed to interrogate the relationship between traditional art forger's memoir and authenticity
- Authors
- David Forrest - University of the Sunshine Coast, Queensland, School of Business and Creative Industries
- Contributors
- Karen Hands (Principal Supervisor) - University of the Sunshine Coast, Queensland, School of Business and Creative IndustriesGinna Brock (Co-Supervisor) - University of the Sunshine Coast, Queensland, School of Business and Creative Industries
- Awarding institution
- University of the Sunshine Coast, Queensland
- Degree awarded
- Doctor of Philosophy
- Publisher
- University of the Sunshine Coast, Queensland
- DOI
- 10.25907/00961
- Organisation Unit
- School of Business and Creative Industries
- Language
- English
- Record Identifier
- 991164545902621
- Output Type
- Dissertation
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