Doug Fishbone's Chinese replica project challenges authenticity at Dulwich Picture Gallery

Doug Fishbone, an artist based in London, has enlisted a workshop in Fujian, China, to produce an exact duplicate of an undisclosed Old Master painting from the Dulwich Picture Gallery's collection. This replica will temporarily take the place of the original for a three-month period, prompting both visitors and experts to discern the imitation among 270 artworks by renowned artists such as Rembrandt, Rubens, Tiepolo, Murillo, and Poussin. Co-curated by Dr. Xavier Bray, the exhibition will take place from 10 February to 26 July, with the replica being unveiled on 28 April and displayed alongside the original until the exhibition concludes. Fishbone's project raises important questions about value, authorship, and context, while also spotlighting China's extensive replica export industry, which produces over 5 million copies each year from villages like Dafen. His playful methodology, evident in past projects like Thames Booze Cruises, engages with larger themes of artistic attribution and commercial reproduction.