The infamous literary hoax that fooled the art worldOn January 8 1960 artist Nat Tate set out to burn his entire lifes 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 Boyds 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
