Art and Craft
Directed by Sam Cullman, Jennifer Grausman and Mark Becker
Starring Mark Landis
For several decades, gifted and incredibly prolific forger Mark Landis compulsively created impeccable copies of works by a variety of major artists, donating them to institutions across the country and landing pieces on many of their walls. ART AND CRAFT brings us into the cluttered and insular life of an unforgettable character just as he finds his foil in an equally obsessive art registrar.
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Reviews
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★★★½ review by Keith on Letterboxd
An empathetic portrait of a memorable and bizarre character involved in a remarkable ruse. Authentic, sad, and awkwardly funny.
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★★★★★ review by Dan Newman on Letterboxd
Wonderful. An amazing and astonishing documentary about art forgery, mental illness, loneliness and isolation.
Mark Landis, the hero or villain depending on which side of the art forgery debate you are on, takes centre stage in a moving story of his life and dedication to copying artworks over several decades.
Landis acts as a philanthropist throughout the film documenting how he gave away his work. Driven more by a desire to connect with others, rather than with the intention of defrauding curators and collectors, he took pleasure in giving the work away for free.
Brazen and compelling, the story of Landis is incredible and told without judgment or bias.
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★★★½ review by The Spork Guy on Letterboxd
A good movie about forgery and how its loopholes allow it to be common practice in some cases. Focusing on a man who's become obsessed with recreating famous paintings and donating them to prestigious museums, the film shows just many times he's gotten away with this. The result is unnerving and makes you wonder how many paintings you've seen have been fake all along. A very angry art enthusiast has been on his tail for years, trying to get him convicted for fraud. However, he can't do so since what he's doing doesn't constitute illegal activity, since he's not selling anything, just donating it. It makes it really hard to choose a side in this topic since this guy is just obsessed with what he does. He doesn't do it to harm anyone and admits this whole heartedly. By the end of the film, an art gallery to his many forged achievements is created in his presence and after much face time with the man so many have hated, it becomes clear just how innocent this "villain" has truly been.
- The Spork Guy
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★★★★★ review by Rakael on Letterboxd
Matthew Leininger is a COCCCCCK.
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★★★★★ review by Lily on Letterboxd
I love Mark so much.
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