Are those "SERIOLITHOGRAPHS" ,(offset print reproductions, like any poster, or colour magazine) "signed in plate" (a offset photo print of the artist sign), showing for sell in places as Ebay internet auctions webpages, with "Certificates of Authenticity" from Park West Gallery, in a variety of prices and sizes, in editions of 9500 pieces...(limited?..) are a valuable piece of Artwork?
For example: the Museums offer for sale in theirs art books stores, posters (open editions reproductions) with images of famous Artists hanged on the Museum walls, those products are sold as his, without any "Certificates of Authenticity" and or Appraisal value from the Museum.
When some Gallery, Auctioneer or Publisher give as a GIFT to the people, for their Artist's promotional purpose: posters or cards with photo printed images of Originals Artworks of the Artists, we suppose that the SIGN of the Artist we can see and recognize upon the image (work of art), as all the artists do on their works, they sign on their Original works.
So, I ask, for what purpose this Gallery PRINT another photo image of the Artist SIGN in the lower side of the paper frame, called: "SIGN IN PLATE" and add a "Certificate of Authenticity" and "Guarantee" the authorship of the original work of art ?
Authenticity and Guarantee of WHAT?...we suppose that when we receive or buy a "ORIGINAL WORK of ART" of an artist that his "provenance" can be "hesitant" or "doubtful", maybe we should ask for "Authenticity".
Those "SERIOLITHOGRAPHS", are SERIGRAPH? (Silk Screen print process )....are LITHOGRAPH?
("lithos" in Greek means: "Stone", print process),.. are "ENGRAVING",...are "ETCHING"...
or are nothing but a SIMPLE OFFSET PRINT as any COLOUR PAPER MAGAZINE, but printed in a more heavy paper, so, what you get there is a paper with a Printed PHOTOCOPY of a ORIGINAL artwork.
Of course everyone have the right to sell anything he has received as a gift.
If someone receive a gift with a "Certificates of Authenticity"....this gift or object start to be something with a suppose or certain value.
So, if we receive a printed paper of the edition of 9500 pieces we have here a MARKET, is not necessary that one person recieve all the 9500 pieces, but a uncertain number of people that go with those "gifts" and put them for SELL, is a MARKET!!
Suppose fellows, we have there outside 12 printed images in editions of 9500 per image, of five different Artists were "give as a gift", we have here 12 x 9500 = 114000 papers, suppose that they are sold only in
15 $usd.
We have in market: 1.710.000 $usd.....!!!!
If those Artists have a Agreement with the Gallery to FLOW the market with thousands and thousands of papers of a photo printed image of theirs artwork in such prices and quantities, so they are "SUICIDAL", because the buyers of their artwork will prefer to recieve a print of his artwork as a gift or pay for them such low prices, instead buy a Limited Edition of SERIGRAPHS in 300 or more percent more higger price.
The art market of those artists and their reputation will be damage in a short time and with the danger of almost impossible for them to sell a LIMITED EDITION of their artwork, so, more difficult will be for them to sell their Original works as, Oils, Acrylic or other mediums of a UNIQUE artwork: "ORIGINALS".
If the Publisher, Gallery, Auctioneer or Representative of those Artists, FLOW the MARKET by themselves with those SERIOLITHOGRAPHS in editions of 9500, so, they are "SUICIDAL" too, because they have FOR SELL in theirs collections, Limited editions of Serigraphs, a variety of printed work of art and Originals artworks too, so with those thousands and thousands of papers on Market in such low prices, they made a " COMPETITION" to themselves, we have here a contradiction.
If is not a crazy contradiction to their own interests, so WHAT IS THAT?, if not a underground MARKET that the Gallery by himself have create for his OWN PROFIT.
Questions:
We have here a millionaire FRAUD?
We have here a criminal use of poor Artists?
We have here a prostitution of Artists?
We have here a criminal STOLEN of Intellectual Rights?
Or is it a NEW kind of the "PYRAMID GAME"?........or what is this?
Thomas - San Antonio, Texas
U.S.A.
