Fake Miro show brings prison sentence

ISTANBUL

A court case on a fake exhibition of one of the 20th century’s most important artists, Joan Miro, which opened on Nov. 20, 2013, at Istanbul’s Mimar Sinan University Faculty of Fine Arts Tophane-i Amire Culture and Arts Center, has been concluded. 

After it was discovered that the exhibition was a fake, the show was cancelled by the university. In line with a report compiled by the Miro Foundation, a case was opened by the organizer of the exhibition, Kült Ltd., against the owner and lessee of the collection, Arete Art Gallery official Emre Sefer. 

In the case held at the Istanbul 18th Criminal Court of First Instance, Sefer was found guilty of fraud and forgery of official documents, receiving four years and six months in jail as well as a fine of 40,000 Turkish Liras. 

Kült Ltd. lawyer Cihat Gökdemir said the court decision set an example in Turkey in terms of fraud and forgery in the field of culture and arts. 

“Fraud and forgery is seen all the time in commercial relations but occasionally in culture and arts.  The 18th Criminal Court of First Instance made a decision that could set an example for similar cases,” he said. 

Kült Ltd. manager Dündar Hızal said they followed the process on behalf of Turkey’s culture industry, adding, “This decision is an important victory in terms of deterrence.”