Long-timeartcriticRichardDormentrevealsthecorruptionandliesoftheartworldanditsmystifyingauthenticationprocess.Lateoneafternooninthewinterof2003,artcriticRichardDormentansweredatelephonecallfromastranger.ThecallerwasJoeSimon,anAmericanfilmproducerandartcollector.HewasringingatthesuggestionofDavidHockney,hisneighbourinMalibu.AcommitteeofexpertscalledtheAndyWarholArtAuthenticationBoardhaddeclaredthetwoWarholsinhiscollectiontobefake.HewantedtoknowwhyandthoughtDormentcouldhelp.Thiscallwouldmarkthebeginningofanextraordinarystorythatwouldplayoutoverthenexttenyearsandwouldinvolveacastofcharactersstraightoutofannovel.Fromrockiconsandfilmstars;artdealersandartforgers;toamurderedRussianoligarchandalawyerforthemob;fromcourtroomstoauctionhouses:alltookpartinabitterstruggledebatingtheauthenticityofaseriesofpaintingsbythemostfamousAmericanartistofthetwentiethcentury.Partdetectivestory,partarthistory,partmemoir,andpartcourtroomdrama,WarholAfterWarholisaspellbindingaccountofthedarkconnectionbetweenmoney,power,andart.
