Remember the story I discussed last month of the lady truck driver who has found an alleged Jackson Pollock painting in a thrift shop?
The issue of Horton versus the "art world" has predictably developed into a class war of sorts, but it seems that she may have the last laugh after all.
I'm up in the Poconos for a few days, and yesterday I caught the tail end of a TV show discussing the fact that Horton's alleged Pollock has a fingerprint that apparently has been found to be the fingerprint of Jackson Pollock.
The show also mentioned that forensic experts had also determined that the paint in the alleged Pollock is the same paint used in certified Pollocks.
Read the forensic report here.
Normally that would be enough to certify that this is a Pollock, right?
But that assumes that the art world "experts" that swore up and down that Horton's find was not a real Pollock are willing to admit that they were wrong.
So in spite of a fingerprint and same exact paint... don't hold your breath.
Is this a class issue?
I think so. It has always surprised me the curious reaction that most art world illuminati have towards the general American public when it comes to art.
Not exactly a loving, nurturing relationship, is it?
And on the art world side, we're all supposed to be militant lefties, always on the side of the poor, downtrodden masses, always on the prowl and look-out for the evil Republicans' latest plots and ideas, especially when it comes to art, in any manner or form.
But the art world left makes a curious right turn when it comes to the masses and to the public in general.
If the public likes it, it can't be high art. If a trucker discovers the art find of the century, it can't be true.
So it is easy to see why the Horton affair has been picked up by Hollywood and others as an example of a convenient class battle between art world elitists and people who drive trucks and have no idea who Jackson Pollock was.
And it makes it juicier when the "experts" and elitists are proven wrong (by science), and rather than offering a good ole "aw shucks folks, we wuz wrong," apology, they retreat into their galvanized white cubes and refuse to admit that probably science is right and what Horton found in a California thrift shop is not only going to make this tough lady super rich, but according to the TV show, she now plans to sue the two art world experts for defamation (I think).
And as usual, classy or class-less, money talks, and if I was in those experts' expensive shoes, I'd be worried, because now they may be dealing with a tough, trash-talking, ex-trailer mamma, and soon to be a super rich, pissed off, lady.
Go get them Terry!
"The bottom line for me is that most of the educated world lives by science and technology in the 21st Century. However, a small segment of the art market has chosen to stand apart. This is the only reason why Teri's painting has not yet entered the market. While the museum, academic, and legal world has no problems with forensics, a few in the art market do."
Peter Paul Biro