AM Stuart

AM Stuart (Master of Material Culture Conservation) and Doreen Landis-Lee (Curatorial Practice PhD) present the examinable outcome of their research projects in the joint exhibition, 'Making a Name for Herself: The Forgeries of Mari Matsumoto'. Stuart and Landis-Lee have worked individually and collaboratively throughout their candidature, sharing a focus on the case of art forger Mari Matsumoto, and her forgeries of the Australian Impressionist painter, Frederick McCubbin. Though Matsumoto’s whereabouts has been unknown since 2000, Stuart and Landis-Lee have been able to work with her recently discovered primary materials, including her books, studio materials and as-of-yet unseen forgeries themselves.

'Making a Name for Herself' spans across the two spaces of Monash University’s Archon Gallery (Caulfield Campus, Building D). Stuart’s research reveals some of the materials and techniques used by Matsumoto to execute her “McCubbins” in such a way that her hand is virtually undetectable by scientific analysis. Landis-Lee, in her presentation of Matsumoto’s forgeries, confronts two questions: how was Matsumoto able to dupe so many major institutions, private collectors and experts into thinking they were purchasing genuine McCubbin paintings? And, given that the true extent of her enterprise is unknown, how can we now be certain of the authenticity of any McCubbin painting?