Fake Britney Spears exhibition in France exposed as hoax
A fake exhibition of paintings by Britney Spears, promoted by Galerie Sympa in Figeac, France, was exposed as a hoax on January 14, 2020. The gallery had announced a show titled "Sometimes you just gotta play!!!!!!" opening January 18, 2020, with no closing date. The hoax was uncovered when a Spears spokesperson contacted the BBC, denying any exhibition plans. The gallery used a 2017 video of Spears painting en plein air at her Los Angeles home, originally created for a charity auction. That painting, depicting flowers, sold for $10,000 to journalist Robin Leach, with proceeds benefiting victims of the 2017 Las Vegas shooting. Galerie Sympa co-director Cédric Fargues also promoted a fanzine featuring Spears. The gallery responded cryptically to inquiries, saying they only work with journalists who visit in person.
Key facts
- Galerie Sympa in Figeac, France, promoted a fake Britney Spears exhibition
- Exhibition titled 'Sometimes you just gotta play!!!!!!' was to open January 18, 2020
- Hoax exposed on January 14, 2020, after Spears spokesperson contacted BBC
- Gallery used a 2017 video of Spears painting en plein air at her Los Angeles home
- Spears' 2017 painting of flowers sold for $10,000 to Robin Leach for Las Vegas shooting victims
- Galerie Sympa co-director Cédric Fargues created a fanzine featuring Spears
- Gallery responded to inquiries with 'we only work with journalists who come to see us in person'
- Spears had previously painted for charity after personal struggles including #FreeBritney
Entities
Artists
- Britney Spears
- Cédric Fargues
- Robin Leach
Institutions
- Galerie Sympa
- BBC
- ArtNet
Locations
- Figeac
- France
- Occitania
- Los Angeles
- Las Vegas