Nat Tate: An American Artist 1928 1960

Author: William Boyd

Stock information

General Fields

  • : $24.00 NZD
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  • : 9780241988879
  • : Penguin Books, Limited
  • : Penguin Books, Limited
  • :
  • : 0.074
  • : August 2020
  • : ---length:- '19.8'width:- '12.9'units:- Centimeters
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  • : 24.0
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  • : books

Special Fields

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  • :
  • : William Boyd
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  • : Paperback
  • : 2008
  • :
  • : English
  • : 823.92
  • :
  • :
  • : 80
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Barcode 9780241988879
9780241988879

Description

The infamous literary hoax that fooled the art world


On January 8 1960, artist Nat Tate set out to burn his entire life's work. Four days later he jumped off a Staten Island ferry, killing himself. His body was never found.


When William Boyd published his biography of Abstract Expressionist Nat Tate, tributes poured in from a whole host of artists and critics in the New York art world. They toasted the troubled genius in a Manhattan launch party attended by David Bowie and Gore Vidal.


But Nat Tate never existed. The book was a hoax.


Will Boyd's biography of a fake artist is a brilliant probe into the politics of authenticity and reputation in the modern art scene. It is a playful and intelligent insight into the fascinating, often cryptic world of modern art.