THE FORGER’S APPRENTICE

FREE presentation at 8 PM at the State Theatre, Friday, August 9

In the late 1960s Elmyr de Hory was the world’s most talented and successful art forger. In 1967 his chicanery ended in a scandal that rocked the art world, although this monocle-wearing charmer’s artful deception did not end there. Join Mark Forgy, de Hory’s former personal assistant, for a showing of the BBC documentary, “Elmyr: The True Picture?” followed by a Q&A with Forgy. The event takes place immediately following the opening reception for “Stolen Goods,” the August art exhibit at Crossings. 

“Stolen Goods,” is a group show featuring artwork inspired by Old Masters, but modified to reveal the actual artist’s own truth. The opening reception is Friday, August 9, from 6:30 p.m. to 8 p.m. Both the reception and the de Hory presentation next door at the State Theatre are free and open to the public.  

For more than 20 years de Hory’s bogus masterpieces filtered into prestigious collections on five continents. He seduced almost everyone he met, counting Marilyn Monroe, Liz Taylor, Montgomery Clift, Rita Hayworth, and Orson Welles among his friends. As a young American Midwesterner, Forgy fell under his spell when he met de Hory in 1969 on the Mediterranean island of Ibiza, becoming his personal assistant while de Hory became Forgy’s mentor and closest friend.

Forgy’s book, The Forger’s Apprentice, is a coming-of-age journey of discovery providing the most personal account of this “famously infamous” faker, through the eyes of his protégé—the Forger’s Apprentice. His book is available at Crossings.

Crossings’ August exhibit in conjunction with this presentation takes a wry look at artistic appropriation. Artists were invited to express what fakery means to them or to “fudge the truth” visually. The exhibit is on display through the month of August and may be seen free of charge during regular open hours.

Elmyr de Hory: The Official Website by Mark Forgy

The State Theatre is located at 96 East 4th Street in Zumbrota. For more information, call 507-732-5210.