Sleuthing SFU scientists sniff out fake art

Deep within Simon Fraser University's chemistry department, science and art intersect to unravel the dark, but lucrative, underbelly of forgery. Art forgery is a multi-million-dollar problem in the art world as galleries and collectors snap up what they think are legitimate pieces of work linked to famous painters and their circles. While they look identical to the naked eye, peering at the fakes on a nano and micro scale can betray even the most seasoned con artist. -In looking at forgeries, it really comes down to the fingerprinting, the chemistry behind it,- says chemistry professor Byron Gates. -The elements that compose the ink, frame, or canvas, and all the materials underneath will define their signature. Gates has partnered with fellow chemistry teaching professor Nabyl Merbouh to create a project that trains students to use forensic equipment, such as electron microscopy, energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy, and X-ray florescence spectroscopy instruments, to investigate works of art down to the single molecule scale. -We are employing a range of really exciting techniques,- says Gates.