Sting in the Tale: Art, Hoax, and Provocation

Sting in the Tale: Art, Hoax, and Provocation is a groundbreaking book by multimedia artist and writer Antoinette LaFarge that explores the role of art in shaping reality and the practice of fictive art, which fabricates evidence to support a central fiction. It includes examples of hoaxes and impostures dating from the 17th century and highlights the ways art can ground or destabilize one's lived reality, forcing us to question our subjective experience and understanding of what counts as evidence.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 432 pages
Publication date: 09 September 2021
Publisher: DoppelHouse Press

In her groundbreaking book, internationally recognized multimedia artist and writer Antoinette LaFarge delves into the enigmatic realm of artist hoaxes, encompassing a wide array of impersonations, fabula, cryptoscience, and forgeries. Through meticulous research and expertise in the field of "fictive-art," LaFarge presents a comprehensive survey of these deceptive practices. Encouraging readers to critically examine the role art plays in shaping reality, Sting in the Tale: Art, Hoax, and Provocation defines a novel genre of art that fabricates evidence to support a central fiction. Spanning from the 17th century to the present day, LaFarge weaves together contemporary fictive art practice with a rich tapestry of historical hoaxes and impostures. This fusion of eras highlights the urgent need for scrutiny in an era characterized by the rapid shift from the early information age to the infocalypse of rampant misinformation. As fictive art straddles the boundaries between fact, fiction, and wild imagination, it emerges as a particularly radical form, challenging our perceptions and forcing us to question the very foundations of our subjective experiences and our understanding of what constitutes evidence. Within the pages of this book, readers are treated to a plethora of examples of these curious and sometimes notorious fabrications. From nonexistent artists and peculiar museums to cryptoscientific objects like fake skeletons and staged archaeological evidence, LaFarge showcases a diverse range of artistic endeavors that blur the lines between truth and deception. From the intriguing Cottingley fairy photographs captured in 1917 by teenage sisters to the Museum of Jurassic Technology, from the works of artists like Iris Häussler, Joan Fontcuberta, and Eva and Franco Mattes to the enigmatic creations of artists like Banksy and JR, each example serves as a testament to the power of art to ground or destabilize one's lived reality. Through her insightful analysis and compelling storytelling, LaFarge underscores the myriad ways in which art can shape our perceptions, challenge our assumptions, and invite us to reevaluate the world around us. Sting in the Tale: Art, Hoax, and Provocation is a thought-provoking exploration of the intersection of art, truth, and deception, offering a valuable contribution to the field of art history and contemporary discourse.

Weight: 740g
Dimension: 228 x 153 x 32 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781733957953