Art, law and politics : the Vermeegeren forgeries

Abstract

This article is based on a contribution to the Art & Law Symposium held at the Dunedin School of Art at Otago Polytechnic, New Zeeland on 29 October, 2010. This symposium was jointly organized by the Dunedin School of Art and the Law Faculty at the University of Otago in Dunedin, New Zealand. The aims of the symposium were, for example, focused on highlighting the many interfaces between art and law as systems in which social values are embedded and reflected; to present examples of works of art in which the concerns of the law find manifestation; to consider copyright law in relation to the visual arts; to consider the roles of the law in establishing and protecting cultural traditions; to view art as a context for critical dialogue about law; art as a critique of law; art as a broad arena wherein the struggle for rights in law take place; art and law as both creating worlds – fare mundi – or frameworks for us to live in; law and art engaging in an hermeutics which often questions the very grounds of interpretation in any given context. The symposium found that art and law are not hermetically sealed areas of activity; they are interconnected in many and often surprising ways. The case of the Vermeegeren Forgeries can be seen as an exemplar of such interconnectedness. Exploring this case as an interface between art, law and politics touches on some of the above-mentioned ways in which art and law intersect.Hierdie artikel is gebaseer op ‘n bydrae tot die “Art & Law Symposium” wat gehou is by die Dunedin School of Art, Otago Polytechnic, Nieu-Zeeland op 29 Oktober, 2010. Die simposium was gesamentlik gereël deur die Dunedin School of Art en die Faculty of Law aan die University of Otago. Die doel van die simposium was o.a. gefokus daarop om die vele interaksies tussen kuns en die reg uit te wys as sisteme waarin die waardes van gemeenskappe vervat is en gereflekteer word; om voorbeelde van kunswerke aan te bied waarin oorweginge van die reg direkte uitbeelding vind; om aspekte van kopiereg in verhouding tot die visuele kunste te oorweeg; om die rol van kuns en die reg in die vestiging en bewaring van kulturele tradisies te ondersoek; kuns as ’n konteks vir kritiese dialoog oor die reg; kuns as a breë arena waarin die stryd om regte afspeel; kuns en die reg as skeppers van wêrelde of raamwerke – fare mundi – vir ons om in te lewe; kuns en die reg as beide betrokke in ’n hermeneutiek wat dikwels die basis van interpretasie in enige gegewe konteks bevraagteken. Die simposium het bevind dat kuns en die reg geensins hermeties geseëlde areas is nie, dat hul wedersyds op mekaar inspeel op vele en dikwels verrassende wyses. Die geval van die Vermeegeren vervalsings kan beskou word as ’n uitmuntende voorbeeld van sulke inspeling tussen die kuns en die reg. ’n Studie van hierdie geval as ’n interrelasie tussen kuns, reg en politiek raak aan sommige bogenoemde wyses waarop die kuns en die reg met mekaar verbonde is.