Beyond the Canvas

“Through this exhibition we see that certificates of authenticity may often stand independently from the art,” says Cornelia Lauf,who has curated the show with Susan Hapgood. While the former is a Rome-based writer and curator,the latter is a senior advisor and former director of exhibitions at Independent Curators International.

Over two years,the duo compiled 50 certificates from the world over. The oldest is a fake cheque painted by French surreal artist Marcel Duchamp in 1919. Instead of paying in $115 in cash to his dentist,Duchamp created a hand-painted cheque complete with a fraudulent bank name “The Teeth’s Loan & Trust Company Consolidated of New York”. Across it,he wrote the word,“ORIGINAL”,thus making his artwork also an authentication certificate. This is now famous as the “Tzanck Check”,after his dentist,Daniel Tzanck.

Also on display is a witty 2010 certificate signed by Indian artists Hemali Bhuta and Shreyas Karle reading “Gift Voucher Coupon”. “The certificates are also indicative of the art of the time. For instance,when artists were experimenting with cutting-edge work,these certificates reassured collectors that the art was original. In some cases,the certificates themselves are experimental and wacky,” says Hapgood. The show will travel to Mumbai,Rome,Chicago and New York.

The exhibition at Khoj Studios is on till December 16. Contact: 65655873