Can He Fake It?

In BBC’s “Faking It”, Paul an ordinary house painter attempts to become an artist with accepted works in a gallery. The idea of this show was intriguing, because often in modern art museums there are pieces that are really hard to understand, since they look like something anyone could have done. It was surprising how quickly and fervently he worked on his art. He seemed much more willing and open-minded than the average middle-class working guy. Keeping in mind that he agreed to appear on this show, his confidence seemed to be boosted by the various people from the art world who encouraged and supported him. It seemed like he realized how to use art to express himself. However, he still had a long way to go as indicated by the acclaimed art critic who reviewed his progress. The critic pointed out that much of his work appeared to be from a novice artist who was experimenting and learning how to use different mediums. Thus, I think that he will have a hard time pulling off a convincing art show.

To be most convincing, he must even dress and talk the part. This segment of the show was most interesting to me, because it demonstrated that there is a preconceived idea about who is a modern, up-and-coming artist. I thought it was cliché that they gave him artsy glasses, but he made it sound like it was one of the most crucial pieces to pulling off the artist look. Indeed, it probably did help him to feel more like part. By looking like the common notion of an artist, he could portray himself more convincingly, which was the point of the show. However, it does show that there is a certain image of the successful artist that is taken seriously in the art world, just like a business professional who wears a suit and carries a brief case. Further, it shows that there is more to being a modern artist than simply flinging paint onto a canvas or throwing together objects into a sculpture. Even with Paul’s transformation into an artist, I think he will not be able to fool all of the critics at the art show. I predict that at least one, if not two, will notice something is not quite believable about his work.