Art fraternity calls for regulatory body to check fakes

New Delhi, June 26 (IANS) Fake works of art are floating in the art market and this has worried the art fraternity which is collectively campaigning for the creation of a regulatory body to crack down on this massive fraud that is giving art a bad name.

"There is a rampant market for fake art in India because of which many people are duped and the art fraternity is getting a bad name," Ashish Anand, director of Delhi Art Gallery, told IANS.

Anand, along with other prominent art people like Sonia Ballaney from Vadehra Art gallery, and Tushar Sethi from the Indian online auction house Asta Guru auction, have signed this campaign to frame a document that can be submitted to the union culture ministry.

The campaign states: "In view of recent concerns regarding the trafficking of allegedly fake works by members of the art fraternity, it is high time a regulatory body was created for the regulation of the art industry. This will clear the air on many issues that concern the consumer, who is at a disadvantage when burdened without an authority in whom to repose confidence in case of sale of problematic/fake works."

"In the case of the art industry, the absence of any such regulatory body affects the pursuit of ethical business interests for many caused by the delinquency of a few," it added.

This move came after many fraternity members realised 90 percent of the works offered in an auction to be held in the capital June 27 are fake.

"Everyone from the art fraternity want to be a part of the campaign because we (art) don't have a regulatory body. So where will a buyer go if he is not happy with what he has purchased? Who will address his problem," asked Anand.

"Many people have raised objection about these works to be auctioned. But where will one go when there is no such regulatory body? So if fashion can have a body, it is high time for us to have one," he said.