Infamous British art forger John Myatt is to unveil his new spring collection including limited edition prints from his renowned body of work Fake with a personal visit at Castle Galleries in Chester.
Myatt’s remarkable original and signed limited edition ‘genuine fakes’ will be on display from Saturday, March 21.
The collection will include pieces painted in the style of great artists such as the bold and stylised expressionism of Lichtenstein, the dreamy, gleaming impasto of Claude Monet and fantastical geometrics of Joan Miró.
Myatt rose to fame through his involvement in what Scotland Yard refers to as ‘the biggest art fraud of the 20th century’, and his latest collection of original works Fake expertly shifts between celebrated artists, absorbing their subject, form and style with finesse and flair as well as showing his own creativity with works purely by Myatt himself, not inspired by another artist.
The impressive exhibition demonstrates the 69-year-old’s meticulous attention to detail when it comes to producing paintings that are inspired by some of the greatest artists of all time, and why Myatt is an artist in his own right.
Ian Weatherby-Blythe, managing director of Castle Galleries, said: “John’s exciting works challenge the art world because they dare to blur the edges between real and fake.
“Not only does the collection clearly demonstrate a huge skill in different painting techniques, it also shows why Myatt is a talent in his own right, with personal works such as ‘Pigeon And Apple View From E Wing Brixton Prison’ and ‘Fly Me to the Moon’.
“We’re so excited to have these works on display at the gallery and can’t wait to share them with people in the area.”
Working from his farmhouse in rural Staffordshire, Myatt uses the rich and varied array of resources available to him, which has enabled him to push the boundaries further with his art.
“With this collection I have stretched myself further than I have ever done before,” he said.
“The difference between me and a forger is that I don’t do copies anymore. While there are plenty of people who will copy a master, I will create a painting in the style of an artist – and there lies a very important distinction.”
He said the Lichtenstein piece, titled Genuine Fake, was not just a challenge to paint, it was also a nod to his fraudulent past as a forger.
“I know that I’ll always be known as the art forger who duped the experts but while that period of my life is definitely over, it set me on a path I never knew would be possible.”
The collection is free of charge to view. For further information visit the gallery in the Grosvenor Shopping Centre, call 01244 345800 or go to www.castlegalleries.com .
