【Reporter: Huang Zhimou】

With the rapid development of the Chinese art market, the methods of art forgery and fraud have become increasingly sophisticated and rampant. In light of this, the renowned Mò Hǎi Lóu International Art Research Institute, in collaboration with Ye Guoxin, the first Chinese art authentication PhD, has carefully curated the “Authenticity and Art Appreciation Exhibition,” which opens today at the Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall Central Corridor and runs until May 12. This groundbreaking exhibition in the Chinese-speaking world is a public event dedicated to revealing the secrets behind art forgeries.

The organizers stated that the “Authenticity and Art Appreciation Exhibition” offers visitors the opportunity to follow expert guides and step by step learn how to collect and analyze evidence for determining the authenticity of artworks. The exhibition also features many fascinating real-life cases, allowing the public to witness firsthand the sophisticated methods used in art forgery. These methods, which can make artworks worth millions be “recreated,” often deceive even experienced collectors. As the industry term “revealing the second layer” suggests, a single piece of art can be altered into two, doubling profits. The exhibition also highlights the use of inkjet printing techniques for modern-day forgeries, which are low-cost, highly efficient, and of high quality. However, under the scrutiny of a microscope, the inkjet dots become impossible to hide.

Curator Ye Guoxin emphasized that art collectors should have basic authentication skills. He hopes that through this educational and charitable exhibition, the knowledge of art authentication can be promoted, enabling everyone to have the opportunity to become a “Sherlock Holmes” of the art world. Artworks have increasingly become part of asset allocation, and due to high demand, some collectors may spend their entire lives gathering art, even unknowingly collecting forgeries, only to realize the fraud when they attempt to sell the works and find they have lost everything.

Ye further stressed that the exhibition aims to teach the public various methods, such as analyzing art styles and supporting evidence, to assess the authenticity of artworks. The exhibition presents a rare collection of materials, including the evolution of famous artists’ styles, commonly used paper types, seals, and other original artifacts. Among the items on display are the seal used by modern master Fu Baoshi, as well as the special paper used by Taiwanese modern artist Jiang Zhaoshen. Also featured is a rare example of a seal carved by the renowned seal artist Wang Yiyu, inscribed with Fu Baoshi’s unique variant of the character “Baoshi,” which is a remarkable piece for connoisseurs.

The exhibition also includes a “True vs. False” comparison area, where visitors can challenge themselves to guess which painting is real and which is a forgery. It offers a great opportunity for the public to test their eye for art and explore the appreciation of authentic vs. fake artworks.