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NYT Touts White House Artworks, Misses Obvious Copy, Apparent Fraud (Freeper Breaks the Story)
Freeper Investigation ^ | 10-7-09 | Freeper

Posted on 10/08/2009 12:05:05 PM PDT by Atlas Sneezed

Yesterday, the NYT ran a story about the White House acquiring art. It included a slide show of a dozen artworks.

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/10/07/arts/design/07borrow.html?_r=1

This Freeper took a look and found one abstract work he admired:

"Watusi (Hard Edge)," by Alma Thomas, a longtime Washington resident who is an African-American painter. Photo: Gift of Vincent Melzac/Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden.

As I admired it, I thought it reminiscent, even derivative of a favorite artwork of mine by Matisse. I recall seeing that one decades ago at the Tate Gallery in London. A giant collage (about ten feet tall) from late in Matisse's life, when his eyesight was failing:

The Snail (L'escargot), by Henri Matisse, Nice-Cimiez, Hotel Regina, [summer 1952-early] 1953, Gouache on paper, cut and pasted, on white paper, 9'4 3/4" x 9' 5" (287 x 288 cm) collection Tate Gallery, London.

I had planned to post them for comparison, and to share my admiration for both. But when I saw them side-by-side, the similarity clarified. I realized that the new one was EXACTLY the same composition as the Matisse, rotated 90 degrees.

Is this fraud? If the new piece has been titled "Homage to Collage" or "Matisse in Blue", I would think the artist wasn't trying to hide the copying. But I wonder whether anyone realized that the artist copied almost every aspect of a famous work to sell her artwork. Perhaps everyone involved knew that this is a re-colored reprint. If not, it seems to be an embarrassment for the "sophisticates" who failed to spot a copy hiding in plain sight.

As too many people say about abstract expressionist art: "Even I could have done THAT!"


TOPICS: Arts/Photography
KEYWORDS: art; figures; friendsofobama; frinthenews; matisse; plagiarism; ripoff; watusi
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To: Beelzebubba

Good catch! But where is the snail in either one of them? I see a cricket.


21 posted on 10/08/2009 12:13:26 PM PDT by crusty old prospector
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To: Beelzebubba
And the Matisse original:


22 posted on 10/08/2009 12:13:34 PM PDT by TheBattman (Pray for our country...)
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To: kabar

Could someone post a side by side of these two? It does appear that it is an exact copy recolored.


23 posted on 10/08/2009 12:13:46 PM PDT by Trick or Treat
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To: InterceptPoint

I’ve seen better in kindergarten classes using poster, construction paper and glue.


24 posted on 10/08/2009 12:13:58 PM PDT by Rebelbase (This is the time of year when ACORNS fall.)
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To: machogirl
grade school i meant, not grad school

With the way they have dumbed down the education system nowdays, it doesn't make that much difference ; )

25 posted on 10/08/2009 12:14:09 PM PDT by ravingnutter
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To: Lonesome in Massachussets

I would say that Ms Thomas has a lot of ‘splainin to do.


26 posted on 10/08/2009 12:14:10 PM PDT by kabar
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To: Trick or Treat

Never mind! Thanks!


27 posted on 10/08/2009 12:14:31 PM PDT by Trick or Treat
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To: machogirl

“something my kids made in grad school.”

I pray, for the sake of your wallet, that “grad” is a typo and you really meant “grade”.

Colonel, USAFR


28 posted on 10/08/2009 12:14:44 PM PDT by jagusafr (Kill the red lizard, Lord! - nod to C.S. Lewis)
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To: Beelzebubba

Just a little “Artistic Justice”, what’s ah problem here?


29 posted on 10/08/2009 12:14:50 PM PDT by TexasCajun
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To: Beelzebubba
Put this one in the entry hall.


30 posted on 10/08/2009 12:14:58 PM PDT by paulycy (Screw the RACErs)
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To: machogirl

Sorry - shoulda scrolled down a little more first!

Colonel, USAFR


31 posted on 10/08/2009 12:15:22 PM PDT by jagusafr (Kill the red lizard, Lord! - nod to C.S. Lewis)
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To: Beelzebubba

bump!!!!!


32 posted on 10/08/2009 12:15:26 PM PDT by Drango (A liberal's compassion is limited only by the size of someone else's wallet.)
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To: Beelzebubba; neverdem

Cute. Real cute.

But notice that the “elite” ABCNNBCBS and their “elite” intelligensia in the “arts community never noticed. And wo’t bring it up that it HAS been brought to their attention.


33 posted on 10/08/2009 12:16:07 PM PDT by Robert A Cook PE (I can only donate monthly, but socialists' ABBCNNBCBS continue to lie every day!)
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To: Beelzebubba

34 posted on 10/08/2009 12:16:24 PM PDT by SlowBoat407 (Achtung. preparen zie fur die obamahopenchangen.)
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To: crusty old prospector

I dunno, looks a little like the animation from “South Park” to me...

Colonel, USAFR


35 posted on 10/08/2009 12:17:06 PM PDT by jagusafr (Kill the red lizard, Lord! - nod to C.S. Lewis)
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To: paulycy

You should call it: “Communion for The One”


36 posted on 10/08/2009 12:17:29 PM PDT by SlowBoat407 (Achtung. preparen zie fur die obamahopenchangen.)
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To: Jeff Chandler

You agree with Tom Wolfe (Painted Word).


37 posted on 10/08/2009 12:17:37 PM PDT by ElayneJ
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To: machogirl

ROTFL. Funny typo. Yeah, let’s hope “grad” school required a bit more.


38 posted on 10/08/2009 12:18:00 PM PDT by library user
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To: Beelzebubba

They could just rename it ‘Boxes trying to squeeze through a door to get stimulus money.’

I think i’ve seen those pictures way too often today.


39 posted on 10/08/2009 12:18:19 PM PDT by Trillian
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To: Beelzebubba

Dan Rather doesn’t think it’s a blatant copy.


40 posted on 10/08/2009 12:18:22 PM PDT by Drango (A liberal's compassion is limited only by the size of someone else's wallet.)
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