In the Fall 2012 issue of The Journal of Art Crime, editor-in-chief Noah Charney interviews Joshua Knelman, a journalist living in Canada who's first book, Hot Art, is about investigating stolen art. In it he profiles Don Hrycyk and follows the story of several heists and their subsequent investigations. Along the way he speaks with a number of ARCA staff and colleagues.
"We chatted with Joshua about his research and how he came to write this book," Noah introduces.
Here's the first question Noah Charney asks Joshua Knelman:
Which art theft do you discuss in your book and how did you choose those cases in particular? With over 50,000 reported art thefts per year worldwide, and with the Carabinieri databased packed with over 3 million stolen artworks, it must have been tough to choose where to focus.
I chose to focus on cases related to me by a wide range of sources, and followed the threads, hoping to identify criminal patterns. I was less interested in following one art theft case than in figuring out how art theft as a phenomenon works. So it wasn't a matter of one particular case. The book showcases a wide variety of art thefts ranging from blockbuster art heists, to art gallery smash and grabs, to the almost invisible plague of thefts from private residences. It was this last category which seemed to be less covered, but persuasive. When I began the book, I have to admit, I was hoping for a Thomas Crown Affair story I could follow, bu the reality turned out to be far more complex, and, to my mind, more interesting.
You may read the rest of this interview by subscribing to The Journal of Art Crime through the ARCA website.
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