Investigating Forged and Looted Antiquities on the Art Market

Erin Thompson (www.artcrimeprof.com; @artcrimeprof), a professor of art law and crime at the City University of New York, holds both a JD and a PhD in art history. Her career has involved a wide range of intersections between art and the law, from being an expert witness on the Visual Artists Rights Act to curating an exhibit of art created by detainees at Guantanamo. Thompson will lead an interactive exercise in spotting red flags in a typical antiquities auction, demonstrating that everyone with online research skills can analyze sales for possible authenticity and provenance issues. We will discuss our results from the exercise and then have a wider conversation about the art market, the legal ramifications of collecting antiquities, and routes to public scholarship and activism for law students. Whether you are interested in the protection of cultural heritage from looting or in advising future clients on avoiding potential repatriation claims, or simply want to learn more about casting a skeptical eye on any self-regulating industry, the Art Law Society invites you to join this lecture and discussion. 

RSVP here.