Thanks for sharing this. Food for thought, indeed. You can read the entire article in your public library's periodicals database. :)
Here's a link to the full-text from SFPL (barcode and pin required): http://go.galegroup.com.ezproxy.sfpl.org/ps/i.do?id=GALE%7CA340806608&v=2.1&u=sfpl_main&it=r&p=AONE&sw=w&digest=45a80726b3d1d7542ea48bb3d72e8486&rssr=rss#.Uip3v8_PKv8.email -- *Anna Koval* Community Advocate Wikimedia Foundation 415-839-6885 x 6729 [email protected] On Fri, Sep 6, 2013 at 4:31 PM, Matthew Roth <[email protected]> wrote: > mea culpa, given that the article is behind a paywall, I shouldn't share > it. > > > On Fri, Sep 6, 2013 at 3:31 PM, Matthew Roth <[email protected]> wrote: > > > I have the pdf of the article if anyone wants it. Email me offlist and > > I'll send it to you. > > > > Matthew > > > > > > On Fri, Sep 6, 2013 at 3:17 PM, Newyorkbrad <[email protected]> > wrote: > > > >> (cross-posted from > >> > >> > https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/User:Newyorkbrad/Newyorkbradblog#Forgery_and_Wikiality > >> ) > >> > >> FORGERY AND WIKIALITY > >> > >> We've all read about people manipulating their, or their friends' (or > >> worse > >> their enemies') biographies on Wikipedia. We also all heard about people > >> molding Wikipedia to fit the world as they wish it were, rather than the > >> world as it is—what Stephen > >> Colbert<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stephen_Colbert>, > >> in exaggerated form, calls "Wikipediality." > >> > >> Alex Wilkinson <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alex_Wilkinson> reported > an > >> interesting example of this phenomenon in his article "The Giveaway" in > >> last week's *New Yorker <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_Yorker>*. (A > >> link to the *New Yorker* article is > >> here< > >> http://www.newyorker.com/reporting/2013/08/26/130826fa_fact_wilkinson>— > >> full text for > >> *New Yorker* subscribers, the first two paragraphs for others. I > recommend > >> it.) > >> > >> The article is about a 58-year-old man named Mark Landis. Mr. Landis > lives > >> in Laurel, Mississippi < > https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Laurel,_Mississippi > >> >. > >> For a time during his childhood, he attended St. Mary's Town and Country > >> School < > >> https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/St._Mary%27s_Town_and_Country_School>in > >> London <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/London>. > >> > >> According to the article, dozens of times over past 25 years, Mr. Landis > >> has walked into a museum and donated what he described as a valuable but > >> previously unknown artwork. He describes the pieces as the work of a > >> reknowned artist, though not one of the very best known artists (Paul > >> Signac<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paul_Signac>, > >> Stanislas Lépine <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stanislas_L%C3%A9pine>, > >> Hans > >> von Aachen <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hans_von_Aachen>, Alfred > Jacob > >> Miller <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alfred_Jacob_Miller> are > examples). > >> And every time, it turns out that Mr. Landis created the artwork > himself, > >> and used classic art forgers' techniques to make the piece appear older > >> than it was. > >> > >> This sort of art forgery raises well-known questions ("is this work of > art > >> the less meaningful or beautiful because it was created by Shlabotnik > >> rather than Renoir?"). But certainly the museum world sees quite a > >> difference between the work of a great or near-great artist and even the > >> most faithful re-creation or simulation of one, and does not appreciate > >> his > >> contributions. Since Landis never requested or accepted any payment for > >> his > >> donations, and apparently never even took a tax deduction for them, he > >> hasn't been charged with any crimes. Wilkinson discusses Landis's > >> motivations, but he workings of his mind remain unclear. What is clear > is > >> that Landis wants very much to be thought of as an art dealer, and as a > >> philanthropist. > >> > >> The relevance to Wikipedia? We have an article about this individual, > Mark > >> A. Landis <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mark_A._Landis>, which details > >> his > >> history of art forgeries—but Wilkinson's *New Yorker* article doesn't > >> mention that article. What it does mention is this: > >> *One of the things [Landis] likes to do is check the Wikipedia article > for > >> Laurel, where he was described as a notable resident, and the one for > St. > >> Mary's, where he was an art dealer and a philanthropist. Late in 2010, > he > >> saw that the listing under Laurel had been altered, "to something > >> derogatory," he said....* > >> > >> And Wilkinson's article concludes: > >> *After lunch ... Landis was in good spirits. I'd seen him happier only > >> once, a few days before, when we checked the Wikipedia page for St. > >> Mary's. > >> He hadn't looked for some time. He almost winced as he scrolled down the > >> page. Then his face broke into a grin. "Hey, I'm still there," he said. > >> "Art dealer and philanthrophist."**He turned the computer toward me so > >> that > >> I could read the entry, then he leaned over to be sure his printer was > on > >> so he could make a copy. "Otherwise, somebody might say something bad > >> about > >> me and change it," he said. "And then I won't be an art dealer and a > >> philanthropist any more."* > >> > >> Food for thought.... > >> > >> Newyorkbrad > >> _______________________________________________ > >> Wikimedia-l mailing list > >> [email protected] > >> Unsubscribe: https://lists.wikimedia.org/mailman/listinfo/wikimedia-l, > >> <mailto:[email protected]?subject=unsubscribe> > > > > > > > -- > > Matthew Roth > Global Communications Manager > Wikimedia Foundation > +1.415.839.6885 ext 6635 > www.wikimediafoundation.org > *https://blog.wikimedia.org* > _______________________________________________ > Wikimedia-l mailing list > [email protected] > Unsubscribe: https://lists.wikimedia.org/mailman/listinfo/wikimedia-l, > <mailto:[email protected]?subject=unsubscribe> > _______________________________________________ Wikimedia-l mailing list [email protected] Unsubscribe: https://lists.wikimedia.org/mailman/listinfo/wikimedia-l, <mailto:[email protected]?subject=unsubscribe>
