“Fake for Real: A history of forgery and falsification” opens on 2 February 2024, at the Teloglion Fine Arts Foundation in Thessaloniki, Greece, until 16 June 2024.
The temporary exhibition was originally held at the House of European History in Brussels, Belgium from June 2020 to 31 October 2021. The opening in Greece represents the start of the museum’s first ever touring exhibition, which is part of its mission to strengthen the European dimension in debating, exhibiting and learning about history. Uncovering the fascinating world of forgery, fakes and falsehoods, visitors will be swept along a dramatic narrative, spanning from antiquity to the present day.
Teloglion Fine Arts Foundation is a non-profit organisation supervised by the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki and directed by a board of trustees, composed of university‘s professors from various faculties. The Foundation‘s primary mission is to familiarise the public with art and culture and to support research and studies about arts.
The exhibition presents falsifications throughout European history, a theatrical journey through the motives, impact and exposure of fakes. It describes the specific historical circumstances that explain their appearance, the interests and motives behind them, the impact they had and how they were ultimately debunked. Set across six themes and a chronological timeline, the exhibition offers a rich display of more than 100 remarkable artefacts originating from all over Europe, as well as films and interactive games.
A complementary school workshop explores the concept of ‘fake’, one of today’s most widely discussed topics, as a common thread throughout history. This engaging workshop is designed for students aged 12 to 23 to foster media literacy. Participants will analyse, practice, and reflect on disinformation and their own reactions to it. Aligned with the Fake for Real exhibition, this workshop raises awareness on how facts, techniques, and emotions can be blended to influence our worldviews, both in the past and present.
Check out our Instagram account for the latest images of the exhibition on tour!
Timeline
Teloglion Fine Arts Foundation
Thessaloniki, Greece
02/02/2024 - 16/06/2024
National Ethnographic Museum
Sofia, Bulgaria
15/07/2024 - 20/10/2024
Open Society Archive
Budapest, Hungary
18/11/2024 - 16/02/2025
The Romanian Peasant Museum
Bucharest, Romania
17/03/2025 - 29/06/2025
Final location
to be announced soon!
15/12/2025 - 01/05/2026