Art forgery as
pseudohistory
baked clay, wood, brass, matcha
coffe, carbon powder, wax,
mordant, pigments, oil, dust
2025
maintained an ambiguous relationship with the Fascist regime. Although highly
esteemed by the authorities, who commissioned him to create several public
monuments, Martini’s response to the regime’s fall revealed a contradictory stance: he
concealed or destroyed many of his fascist-themed sculptures, while simultaneously
accepting commissions to honour partisans who had resisted the dictatorship.
This work consists of two identical sculptures modelled after his sculptural style, where every detail, from the cracks on the clay to the holes of the wood-eating insects, is identical in both. The only difference lies in the brass plaques, where the spectator can see that one sculpture is titled “Wounded Soldier,” while the other is “Wounded Partisan,” creating a subtle tension between opposing ideological narratives and the role that art plays in them.
The title Art Forgery as Pseudohistory presents the two forgeries and the act of forging in general as a way to manipulate history through fabrication. The term “pseudohistory” is used by historians to describe objects or theories created to deceive, manipulate narratives, or challenge established interpretations by introducing contradictory artefacts. The bases of the sculptures have been transformed into cup holders, each supporting a cup filled with matcha latte: a Japanese-inspired drink with a modern twist, often associated with mindfulness, energy, and craftsmanship, according to Google.