But Is It Real? will open to the public on January 26, 2002 at the Williams College Museum of Art (WCMA). The exhibition will include fakes, forgeries, copies, originals, and other works to explore the idea of authenticity and how “originality” affects a viewer’s appreciation of a work of art. Organized in conjunction with a Williams College philosophy class, But Is It Real? will remain on view through September 22, 2002.

But Is It Real? will exhibit approximately 25 works of art that show how complex the concept of “original” or “copied” art can be. This exhibition will encourage viewers to think about what makes artwork “real,” considering that art has always been copied for a variety of reasons. Copies have been made by pupils to master their craft, by master artists to duplicate their own work, by artists to honor another respected artist, and by less reputable individuals to deceive potential collectors. More recently, artists have recycled images from both popular culture and other artists. Where does the copying end and the originality begin? More importantly, how does “originality” influence how viewers feel about the work of art? Through side by side comparisons of works of art, the exhibition will encourage visitors to consider whether a copy is as worthy of appreciation as an original.

The objects on view will range from an imitation Maurice Prendergast painting, an original print by Albrecht Dürer along with copies made by two different artists with different intentions, and a copy of Han Memling’s The Passion of Christ, made out of appreciation for the original. More recent works by Andy Warhol, Sherrie Levine, and Cindy Sherman will be included. Labels and a gallery guide will explain the context in which each piece was created, helping visitors to make their own decisions about how “original” a work is.

But Is It Real? has been organized as support for a philosophy class taught by Steven Gerrard, Associate Professor of Philosophy at Williams College. Students in his course, “Fake: A Path Into the Philosophy of Art,” will be studying the objects to examine what makes a work of art “real” or “authentic.” The exhibition, like most philosophical pursuits, is meant to raise more questions than it answers.

This exhibition has been organized by Stefanie Spray Jandl, Andrew W. Mellon Curatorial Associate, in collaboration with Steven Gerrard, Associate Professor of Philosophy.
A portion of the museum’s general operating funds for this fiscal year has been provided through grants from the Institute of Museum and Library Services, a Federal agency that fosters innovation, leadership, and a lifetime of learning, and from the Massachusetts Cultural Council, a state agency. The Williams College Museum of Art is open Tuesday through Saturday, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., and Sunday, from 1 to 5 p.m. Admission is free.
Contact: Jonathan Cannon, Public Relations Coordinator
413.597.3178; WCMA@williams.edu