Stolen Art 2009

Directed by Simon Backès

Where does one draw the line between 'art' and 'theft'? Art and artist? A criminal and aesthetic investigation into the creation of incognito artist Pavel Novak, virtuosi counterfeiter wanted by the FBI for his 1978 "Stolen Art" exhibition in New York, which caused international stupefaction… some pieces proved to be stolen originals. Simon Backès takes us on a trek across New York, introducing us to specialists who unveil and question our relation to art- a matter of cultural legacy, but also, quite simply, merchandise. Does beauty exist without copyright?