The Versatile Master Artist

If I were to encounter such a situation—I’d hold the original painting in my hands, claim the forgery as my own creation, and showcase it. Nobody would know.

Hanks thought slyly to himself.

"Acquired it? How much did you spend?" he asked out of curiosity.

"Around 2000, in US dollars."

"Lucky kid," Hanks licked his lips, "your store can’t sell this painting, I’ll take it for forty thousand dollars, how about it?"

"Professor Yakai Ichiro offered sixty thousand," Gu Tongxiang said softly.

"Sixty thousand dollars, huh, Professor Yajima really loves art." Hanks hesitated for a moment and didn’t bring up the matter of purchasing the painting again.

The price for a modern piece by an unknown artist is already nearing the ceiling.

Collectors using such a large sum to buy a painting are either genuinely not short on money; most collectors still consider investment appreciation over pure admiration.

Sixty thousand dollars can buy a collection of Henri Matisse’s sketches, Picasso’s collage or miscellaneous items like his crafted silver plates and pottery.

The artistic value of these items certainly isn’t higher than this oil painting, yet they are the works of truly top-tier artists, effectively paying for a name.

In terms of investment expectations, the potential for appreciation is significantly higher than the fine oil painting by an unknown artist.

"Even if it’s a forgery, this copy is impressively quite good."

Hanks compared the original to Gu Weijing’s replica.

He’s now not concerned with some small amount of money: "Mr. Gu Tongxiang. Here’s the deal, we can increase the stipend by twenty thousand dollars. We maintain good cooperative relations with over twenty visual arts departments at Europe’s top art schools, and if needed, we can secure a university spot for Gu Weijing, with Ma Shi’s foundation covering the costs of further study."

"If you, as the guardian, agree, we can sign the contract upon leaving. Trust me, you won’t find a more generous offer than this."

Gu Tongxiang indeed found the offer quite compelling.

Especially the latter condition, truly enticing.

Studying at a foreign art academy costs only slightly less than some private medical schools.

It’s similar to law schools, tuition for a short term can be eight thousand five hundred euros, divided into four short terms per academic year, which is common.

Without scholarships, finishing university might leave one with debt equivalent to the cost of a suburban apartment, and foreign nationals face difficulty in applying for student loans, with high interest rates even if approved.

Calculating.

Just the benefits from Ma Shi Gallery are no less than the annual stipend.

"Can Ma Shi Gallery guarantee Gu Weijing an exhibition?" Gu Tongxiang inquired.

"As long as he performs well, there’s no reason we wouldn’t allocate resources to him." Hanks’s response remained artfully diplomatic.

Gu Tongxiang was still hesitating.

At that moment, the elder’s phone rang; he answered it briefly, then turned to Hanks.

"Gu Weijing is returning soon, let’s hear the kid’s opinion."

As Hanks walked out, he noticed the translator lagging behind a couple of steps, giving him a subtle look.

"I roughly understand. You’re spending several thousand dollars to sign a middle school student?" The translator rolled his eyes.

"So?" Hanks remained expressionless.

"How about you give me some payoff, and the money in the briefcase can be mine. I’ll handle this family for you." The translator blinked slyly, his tone crafty.

"You? Do you understand art?"

Hanks stared perplexedly at the translator.

"I don’t understand art, I understand the rules." The translator inwardly scoffed at the foreigner’s lack of industry knowledge.

Engaging in business legal English in a society driven by relationships like Yangon, he routinely encountered local bureaucrats.

Confident in understanding the workings of power.

"Myanmar has stringent foreign exchange control laws; holding foreign exchange exceeding four million Myanmar Kyat is criminal. The law is thus, with considerable room for maneuver in operations. Few of these businesses catering to foreign tourists are completely legal. I have some local connections; it’s easy to deal with them."

The translator smiled slyly, speaking softly: "Just a bit of bribery is all it takes; families like these, isn’t it easy for you to manipulate as you please?"

Hanks rolled his eyes, looking at the translator with an expression akin to seeing a fool.

What an idiot hick.

The artist to be signed is not for buying a pretty daughter to become a streetwalker; stirring animosity leads to a lose-lose situation.

The real dirty tricks in the gallery industry mostly are in the contracts.

Such as the commission deduction rates, methods of split payment settlements, whether the artist needs to bear exhibition costs, and clearly gallery-biased penalty and exemption clauses.

Some galleries love using these tactics to trap naive rookies.

Though appearing lucrative, the execution is full of pitfalls.

The simplest method.

If the artist’s annual art sales amount to one hundred thousand dollars, with a 50-50 split, each should take fifty thousand dollars. Then the gallery arbitrarily makes a statement, announcing this year’s exhibition costs were thirty thousand dollars, deducting this first.

If your contract stipulates deduction before the revenue split, a painter might work for free and end up owing the gallery money.

Hanks isn’t overly pure-hearted.

Ma Shi Gallery secretly imposes clauses to force signed artists into debt; if sued in court, it’s embarrassing, but holding such terms is within reach.