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Monday,
May 20, 2002 |
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Article |
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DNA-marked paintings
Matthew Brace
AUSTRALIAN
painter Pro Hart has become the first artist to mark his work with his
DNA. Other artists are expected to follow his lead, to authenticate
their works beyond doubt. Hart, a 73-year-old former silver miner who
lives and paints in the outback town of Broken Hill, is determined to
stem the flood of fakes on the market. His paintings sell for
five-figure sums and forgers have targeted him. During a trip to
Sydney, he demonstrated the DNA marker technique by taking a swab from
inside his cheek. "I have had to do this because of the copying,’
he said.
‘There must be
hundreds out there. I’ve done a lot of painting in Britain so I
wouldn’t be surprised if someone is copying them over there, too.
"Owners of up to 50 of Hart’s works attended a three-day ‘DNA
clinic’ at the gallery last week. For $ 70 each, their paintings
were authenticated and DNA-encrypted. This involves pulling apart DNA
strands and finding segments unique to the donor. These are blended
with paint and applied in an invisible film at a point on the canvas
known only to the person applying it. The painting looks no different
but is indelibly marked.
— ONS
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