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Where is the signature in contemporary art? — Real clues outside the frame｜Kenichi / Foxfglove Consulting

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In Richter’s “Abstraktes Bild (809-1),” the signature, work number, and year of creation are written on the back of the canvas. This can be confirmed in the Christie’s work documentation. The transaction price on November 12, 2013, was $20,885,000, including the buyer’s premium. [1]

A transaction can take place even without a name in the bottom right corner of the frame. So, what are buyers verifying?

It cannot be said that signatures have disappeared from contemporary art as a whole. It varies by artist, and even for the same artist, it varies by work. However, by tracing works where inscriptions on the back or separate certificates play an important role, it becomes clear that there are things to look at outside the frame as well.

The name also becomes part of the composition

Why not write it on the front? Here, I would like to separate the artist’s own explanation from the viewer’s interpretation.

To me, in abstract or minimalist works, even the name in the corner seems to enter my field of vision as part of the composition. Removing text from the frame has meaning in terms of how it is viewed. However, I have not confirmed any documents that definitively state this as the reason for Richter’s own signature.

There are other circumstances as well. Dan Flavin created light works using standard fluorescent lamps. The Dia Art Foundation’s commentary also explains the use of commercially available fixtures and fluorescent tubes. [2]

The 2014 Sotheby’s listing for “untitled (monument for V. Tatlin)” noted that it was accompanied by a certificate of authenticity signed by the artist. [3]

It is not that it is physically impossible to write a name on a fluorescent tube. In this work, a system is adopted where the signature is placed on a certificate. You cannot verify the work just by looking at which parts have handwriting on them.

Separating the hand that made it from the person who approved it

In his 1990 essay “Una stanza per Panza,” Donald Judd criticized the unauthorized production by the collector Panza. The Judd Foundation introduces statements to the effect that anything not supervised by the artist is not his work, along with related records. [4]

Looking similar and being recognized by the artist as a work are two different things. For works where production is entrusted to others, it is necessary to confirm not only the materials and dimensions but also who approved the production and under what conditions.

Admittedly, the involvement of studios or assistants in production is not a feature unique to contemporary art. [11] If you divide history into two eras—”the artist’s hand in the past, certificates now”—you will end up overlooking more things. What I want to focus on here is the point that the artist’s involvement also remains in documents and production procedures.

Certificates and drawings that support murals

In Sol LeWitt’s wall drawings, drawings and certificates are deeply involved in the realization of the work. The commentary for “Wall Drawing #95” at the Centre Pompidou states that it was drawn by assistants following a drawing showing color combinations and a certificate specifying the installation method. [5]

The Cleveland Museum of Art also makes the certificate for “Wall Drawing #4” available as part of its collection. It bears LeWitt’s signature. [6]

Just looking at the completed wall surface does not allow you to read all the information that makes the work valid. It is necessary to consider everything, including the location, instructions, and the certificate.

That does not mean that any certificate is the work itself. The mechanism of LeWitt’s wall drawings cannot be applied directly to certificates for paintings, photographs, or sculptures. I want to verify for each work what the document certifies and what authority it is linked to regarding production or re-installation.

Verification is also needed for signatures on the frame

Having a signature on the front does not mean you can rest easy. In September 2013, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York announced the guilty plea of art dealer Glafira Rosales. It was a fraud involving over 60 fake modern and contemporary art works, with victims paying over $80 million. [7]

Reports also explain that the painter who created the forgeries and their accomplices had added the famous artist’s signature. The presence of a signature did not serve as proof that the handwriting was truly left by the artist themselves.

It would be premature to conclude from this incident that signatures are unnecessary. Handwriting and inscriptions are clues for examining a work. It is important not to decide based solely on their position or presence, but to judge them in conjunction with provenance, examination of the work itself, and the artist’s records.

There are also differences in the points of contact for verification

If documents are separated from the work, there is a risk they could be lost during a move or inheritance. Issuing bodies also do not necessarily continue their operations indefinitely.

According to the Warhol Foundation’s FAQ, the Authentication Board’s dissolution was approved in 2011 and it no longer exists. The foundation also does not provide opinions on the authenticity of works or issue certificates of authenticity. [8]

However, one cannot generalize that ‘the authentication point of contact has disappeared’ for the foundations of other artists as well. It is necessary to check the system for each artist using the official information available at that time.

In the case of Banksy, Pest Control reviews certificates of authenticity. However, there are conditions for eligibility, and street art or works not intended for commercial purposes are outside the scope of authentication according to the office’s terms. [9]

One must not jump to the conclusion that a lack of a certificate means a work is a fake. Is it outside the scope of review, is there insufficient information, or is it a judgment on authenticity? It is necessary to distinguish the reasons.

Japanese ‘tomobako’ (original storage boxes) can also be clues

There are also examples in Japan of information being left outside the work. This is the ‘tomobako’. The Tokyo National Museum explains it as a box that was passed down with the work, on which the creator wrote the name of the work and the artist. [10]

There are also boxes added by later owners and documents recording provenance. If the person who wrote it, when they wrote it, and why they wrote it differ, the meaning as a historical document also changes. One cannot simply call all box inscriptions ‘tomobako’.

The same caution is required for certificates of contemporary art. Before feeling reassured by impressive paper or boxes, verify their correspondence with the work in front of you. Even if the artist’s name matches, if the document is for a different work, it does not substantiate that specific piece. I want to look at the connection rather than the appearance of the documents.

Things to ask when buying

What I want to confirm is whether the image, size, technique, and work number on the certificate match the actual item. Who issued it, and what does the document certify? Also, where can I consult if I decide to part with it or if it is lost?

Not all certificates contain the same items. If information is missing, have the seller explain the correspondence. Since a copy of a certificate does not guarantee it will be reissued, ask about how the original is handled beforehand.

I want to organize and store the certificate, invoice, and photos of the back of the work for each piece. Since there is a risk of losing everything together if you keep them in the same place as the actual work, keep copies separately.

The absence of a signature on the canvas is not a mark of a fake. The presence of a signature is also not a guarantee of authenticity on its own. After looking at the work, turn your eyes to the back, the documents, and the issuer behind them. I want to extend my confirmation to that extent when buying.

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