\nand, it’s the real <\/strong>deal, too. no fakes here.
\nit’s still aluminum, it’s still light-weight, small scale, and it’s still easily . . portable.
\neven though it was made more than 20 years go,
\nit’s still metal reflective, it’s still vernacular relevant, and more importantly, it’s still also a reflection \/ a signifier . . on the times \/ and it, still<\/strong>, can be – YOURS !!! <\/p>\n
in a TIME Magazine article in 1967<\/strong>, ANDY WARHOL predicted the future as a time . . flash forward to . . 2022, we should just plain out call it – for what it is: ‘piggy-back fame’, and, that’s piggy – in all senses. but mostly, piggy, piggy all the way – to the bank \/ spin doctors, rejoice !! <\/p>\n GO FOR IT . . . ALFIE !!!!!<\/strong><\/p>\n of course !! seems, Alfredo developed a real,’we-are-both-thieves’, (is ‘scammer’ – a cuter way of putting it?) real real, heavy-duty crush on the ‘flirtatious-takes-you-to-the-top’ fake heiress, and last week’s headlines . . were a riot<\/strong> !! it was like watching a never-ending story \/ on repeat. I do <\/em>declare . . . Andy – would have loved<\/em> this.<\/p>\n nothing like a fast-talking, heavily-accented, German-Russian honey-trap of a young fake heiress \/ and, a big goofball of a street smart ‘gun’ artist, (of whom, even his best friends will tell you, you can’t believe a word he says), who both in their own way, conned a whole bunch of pretentious culture & institutional snobs, (got to love the art world) \/ to progress from a Netflix series, and go on to . . to ‘steal’ \/ the media-loving, iPhone hearts, of our war-weary world.<\/p>\n I have always<\/strong> said, especially when viewing the art world, it’s<\/strong> either the very top crust, or the very gritty bottom \/ and, nothing in-between, (is of any interest). vs.<\/strong><\/p>\n the other extreme, the proverbial, gritty, often dark, street-wise bottom \/ that what we<\/strong> proudly call, the ‘underground’ art scene, the ‘downtown’ New Edge City \/ in the you-gotta-love-it . . New York City !! well, this is<\/strong> ‘Performance Art 2022’, and, it’s subtitled: so, ‘forgery’ is in vogue. who would have thought ? what ? it’s just even the faintest whiff of ‘forgery’ . . must have all the big wig collectors quaking, and, well they should be, letters of authenticity, or not. Alfredo’s history goes back at least 20 years. I also heard some wild rumors about all<\/strong> those silkscreen Andy Warhols that keep popping up in Britain, speaking of the darling undead – but, that’s filed away under: better keep – my big mouth shut. <\/p>\n spending time in the Big House, NYC slang for prison . . for fraud, let alone art fraud, isn’t exactly golden music to the well-heeled, but high-priced \/ street art chasing denizens of those other<\/strong> big houses: the Auction Big Houses !! so, it’s a kind of . . . great Netflix-to-Artforum joke \/ the scrappy, street-smart con artists in the (penal) Big House vs.<\/strong> the corporate raiders & UBS fat cats \/ the phony auction riggers, Paris does jump to mind \/ & the serious tax haven seekers – in the (legal) Auction Big House !! WAY to GO, ALFIE !!!!!!!!!<\/strong><\/p>\n
\n“when everyone will be famous for 15 minutes.”<\/p>\n
\nand, looks like Andy was close, but not fully prepared – for exactly just how fast, social media would propel . .
\nthe world & in particular, those seeking celebrity fame \/
\na mere 55 years later !! and, we see, it’s more like:
\neveryone <\/strong>can catch 5 mins. of fame \/ on the back<\/strong> of someone else’s . . 15 minutes !!<\/p>\n
\nI’m talking about my<\/strong> good friend, ALFREDO MARTINEZ, aka the ‘NOTORIOUS BASQUIAT FORGER’.
\nthough, we just used to call him, the plain ole . . . ‘REAL FAKE BASQUIAT’ . . !!
\nand, his (virtual) jailhouse squeeze, the equally notorious . . . THE (REAL) ANNA DELVEY !!
\nand wouldn’t you know it, they are . . our<\/strong> real day Bonnie & Clyde,
\nbecause apparently, nothing beats an outlaw – than an outlaw couple !!<\/p>\n
\nthe various media posts just absolutely<\/strong> parroted each other, not a one had anything original or substantial to say – but who cared !!
\nby the end of last week, it was, wait \/ is AI writing the news, now too ? but it just added to the fun.
\nthe coverage . . ran right up through the established art world, and then, even<\/strong> hit the mainstream \/
\nand all the while – nobody cried wolf !!
\nand pretty quickly, and, pretty much – without changing a word, a sentence.
\nlord have mercy, have we really become a nation of morons ?
\none weird post – had a totally wrong Alfredo Martinez in the photos \/ and, one of the big German tabloids, pegged NOAH BECKER<\/strong>, publisher of Whitehot Magazine, a big Alfie & Anna fan & co-promoter, written up – as the son of Boris Becker, the famous tennis player.
\ntoo fun !! forget about fake news, you couldn’t make this up – in your dreams.<\/p>\n
\nI guess the same rules – apply to the broader society.
\nit’s either . . total moronic destruction, untold human misery on a vast scale, impending global food ‘insecurity’, (yikes – will I be able to feed my 120 lb. dog ? ) and the usual – though unimaginable nuclear threats, with flying nuke headquarters \/ coming out of 70s mothballs, and, the totally nuts North Koreans thrown into the mix, just for fun, as per usual \/ samo, samo, indeed.
\n who doesn’t love, a Joker wild card \/<\/p>\n
\nand, still apparently – the capital of the global art world, and this – is why.
\nwhere a jail<\/strong> time ‘crush’, & resultant<\/strong> artistic collaboration, between 2 convicted cons \/ who played many, and not so nicely by the way \/ while all the while . . aiming \/ consciously or not, to … ‘revive’<\/strong> the now, way dead <\/strong>art form – that we used to call . . . ‘Performance Art’ !!
\n(before it unfortunately morphed, rather horribly into ‘Food Art’, remember that ?)<\/p>\n
\n‘Get-Over Artists – The Alf & Anna Show’ . . . !!! <\/p>\n
\nin a rather charming ‘twist’ on the narrative \/ Alfredo is said to actually ‘reproduce’ Anna’s jailhouse drawings, as well as, blow them up, and color them \/ in fact, he is<\/strong> actually a pretty good colorist<\/strong> – that’s part of what’s actually help drive all the press, that superbly ‘colored’ – now famous, ‘Send Me Bitcoin’, – the Anna illustration, an otherwise crudely drawn sketch, but not without a dry humor & of course, detailed fashion notes \/ that’s always accompanying, the endless, no real ‘insight’ – press !!). <\/p>\n
\nso the works you might be buying, (and, is anybody ?) – aren’t really her’s ?!! they are fakes, Alfredo fakes ??!!
\nin the art world, that’s more properly known as . . ‘collabs’, short for collaborations, and – that’s . . . ok.
\nbut, it should be noted on the price list !!
\nunless of course, if it’s just<\/strong> a lowly studio assistant \/ fabricator . . some blue chip artist is taking advantage of \/ a lot of my young artist readers will know – exactly what I mean.
\nthen it’s not acknowledged, and: well, end of story. but, sad.
\nanyway, ‘collab’ – is way<\/strong> better than ‘appropriation’ \/ or, just any other outright smart-ass, intellectual theft, ala Richard Prince, etc.
\n‘collab’ is ok. just, put it – in print. <\/p>\n
\nmost whom probably employ an army<\/strong> of lawyers to keep them ‘clean’, let’s keep it real \/ though we could drop a few names I suppose, how’s Steinhardt<\/strong> & Sackler<\/strong>, for starters. <\/p>\n
\nand, that’s what makes . . being an art world con – kind of . . well, GROOVY !!<\/strong><\/p>\n![\"\"](\"http:\/\/www.artloversnewyork.com\/zine\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/Pocket-Alfredo-Martinez-the-basquiat-forger.jpg\")
<\/a>
\nso, <\/strong> I have a . . . ‘POCKET ALFREDO’ – for sale !!<\/strong><\/p>\n