September 20 ↘
Book launch and conversation on art, authenticity, and value.

Problem Library invites you to join us in celebrating the launch of The Case of The Disappearing Gauguin: A Study of Authenticity and the Art Market by Dr. Stephanie Brown with an open conversation facilitated by Historienne Nicole Meldahl.

In 2016, Dr. Brown discovered Flowers and Fruit, a still-life formerly attributed to Paul Gauguin in a museum in California’s Central Valley. Intrigued, she began to research the painting’s history and the subsequent journey led her beyond an accounting of simple provenance into an investigation of the art market, museum practices, and how personal relationships shape the historical record.

Join us on Friday, September 20th at 7pm for a lively discussion between these two friends and colleagues that shares Stephanie’s findings as they delve deeper, asking: What is art worth? How do we determine the authenticity of an artwork? And who is qualified to assign value to cultural creations?

 

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This event reflects our dedication to educational programming and marks the launch of a new series, Out of Office, where we invite professors, academics, and researchers to present work that sits outside their primary field of expertise.

 

RSVP appreciated but not required

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Event details

The Case Of The Disappearing Gauguin: A Study of Authenticity and the Art Market will be available for purchase during the event, or you can pick up a copy online.

Stephanie Brown is Assistant Program Director for the Johns Hopkins University’s MA in Museum Studies. Dr. Brown earned her BA from Williams College and her PhD in French history from Stanford University. She lives in the San Francisco Bay Area with her husband and dogs.

Nicole Meldahl is an award-winning journalist, curator, and current Executive Director of Western Neighborhoods Project, a community history non-profit focused on the west side of San Francisco. Hear her on the bi-weekly podcast, Outside Lands San Francisco, and follow her on Instagram @nostosnic. She lives in the Sunset district with her husband and two chonky cats.