Mark Landis, Master of Forgery

Mark Landis, one of the most prolific art forgers in US history, talks about his work creating fakes, the subject of the documentary “Art and Craft” Co-directed by Jennifer Grausman. Landis’s impressive body of work spans 30 years, covering multiple styles and periods, and while the copies could fetch impressive sums on the open market, Landis donates his fakes to museums across the country. When Matthew Leininger, a tenacious registrar in Cincinnati, discovers the ruse and organizes an exhibition of the work, Landis must confront his legacy and respond to the museum professionals demanding that he stop creating forgeries. Art and Craft will open Friday, September 19 at The Angelika Film Center and Lincoln Plaza Cinema.