Buzz
Travelers often visit Europe’s art museums to witness legendary artworks up close. Yet, studies reveal that most visitors barely take the time to appreciate them, spending only 15 to 30 seconds on average in front of each piece. To encourage deeper engagement, Travel + Leisure highlights a unique British TV program titled Fake! The Great Masterpiece Challenge, which has discreetly replaced seven famous paintings with replicas in several UK galleries.
Fake! The Great Masterpiece Challenge, can you spot the fakes planted in British museums https://t.co/ANccR6YTRf pic.twitter.com/vXNF5wfIuG
— Tracy Wilcockson (@tswilc) July 4, 2016
Until August 1, art enthusiasts can participate in a competition to identify the counterfeit artworks. They can inspect the pieces in person or online via a dedicated website by Sky Arts, the show’s broadcaster. Participants who successfully detect the fakes can submit their findings through an online form. Two hundred top participants will be randomly chosen, with the show narrowing it down to 10 finalists for the finale at Oxford’s Ashmolean Museum. The ultimate winner will receive a custom replica of a celebrated British painting, valued at up to $6500.
The participating venues include Edinburgh’s Scottish National Portrait Gallery, Cardiff’s National Museum, London’s Guildhall Art Gallery, Manchester Art Gallery, Port Sunlight’s Lady Lever Art Gallery, and Liverpool’s Walker Art Gallery. The only requirements for participants are a passion for art and a readiness to feature on the TV program. (Complete terms and conditions can be found online [PDF].)
“No expertise in art history is necessary to participate,” stated Phil Edgar-Jones, Sky Arts’ director, in a press release. “All that’s needed is a keen eye and a curious mind.”
“Our aim was to narrate the tale of British art with a playful twist, inspiring everyone to examine the masterpieces of British artists more closely and thoughtfully,” Edgar-Jones added.
For those who don’t make it to the finals but wish to follow the competition, Fake! The Great Masterpiece Challenge is set to air in 2017, as The Guardian notes. The show will be hosted by Giles Coren, a journalist from The Times of London, and Rose Balston, the founder of Art History UK, a London-based art tour company. Each episode will delve into a specific period of British art.
Feeling inspired to unleash your inner art sleuth? You can sign up for the competition online. Remember, the deadline is strict: August 1, 2016, at midnight. Unfortunately, the contest is exclusive to UK residents, so American art enthusiasts will have to sit this one out.
