The Artist Who Never Was

The realism of this book, The Artist Who Never Was: AI on Trial by Jarek Tomszak, exposes art forgery through the protagonist, Mike Everhart. After the death of Mira, his aunt, Mike carries the burden of grief. His bitterness stems from his failed career as a writer. However, after he finds a forgotten painting, his calculating mind sees a window of opportunity. This book unfolds at a slow pace. It needs patience that gets rewarded by a well-executed plot. Tomszak adds layers to this narrative by diving deep into what drives Mike. Is it simply his trained eye for beauty or his need for recognition? This book embodies the idea that what we believe affects our choices, whether consciously or unconsciously. Jarek’s storytelling and his knowledge of museums make this book believable. From the start the author’s world-building is done efficiently and described well. As a reader, picturing the art and the state of the museum wasn’t a challenge. Reading this book sets a lot into perspective. It shows how situations change people’s perception of events. I highly recommend this book. It holds readers in a world of art, museums, and desperation. The book also relates closely to what artists are currently facing with the rise of AI.

As I read this book, a mantra repeats in my mind: a compelling and thought-provoking masterpiece. Breathtaking and insightful, this story takes place in New York and focuses on a failed artist who becomes a con artist and deceives an entire gallery with his AI-generated art inventory, hoping that his ploys and secrets will remain permanently hidden. Mike Everhart, an artist and writer, makes a dubious living by using advanced AI tools to forge duplicates, renderings, and provenances of classical art inventory from the Rockefeller Foundation. In this gallery, his late aunt, Mira, used to work as a curator. With Lucas Hawthorne, his old friend and confidant, he hacks and edits the gallery’s database, and sells the forged inventory to make huge cash. As the art community revels in these “restored” works, they yearn for more. Mike is willing to do anything to satiate his desire for glory and fortune. With Lucas a step closer to the grave, no one is likely to uncover his misdeeds. Mike relishes his newfound limelight exposure, and he wants his advancements to remain indefinitely. But can he maintain it? Will his beautiful lie be revealed? What happens next? Readers are in for an incredible and juicy experience as they traverse the devious world of the AI artist. As a freelance artist myself, I have a genuine understanding of how artificial intelligence can disrupt clientele exposure to good and authentic artworks. Interested readers who love authentic art are prone to be shocked upon seeing how far Mike can go with his Jan Haggenbunk art deception—not only against the art community, but everyone around him. The author’s writing style is on-point, elegant, and captivating, making this book’s content enlightening and emotionally intense. I find the protagonist’s character traits very interesting. Mike is a very clever, cautious, and analytical man, as seen from the way he handles art files. He also seems to be easily cooperative with older people; his relationships with Mira and Lucas are relevant examples, and his writing prowess is top-notch. Nonetheless, he is sly, evasive, and an artful liar. It is insidious for Mike to twist his promise to Mira to never give up; to make his dreams come true through dubious means. His relations with his uncle Jeff Nychere—a man who lets greed override his conscience—are a relevant example of Mike’s untrustworthiness. His advancement is highly attributed to none other than the clairvoyant Lucas. Overall, I am impressed with the author’s method of educating readers on the deceptive works of AI artists and how they can mimic true traditional art. It makes me question how modern technology can affect the art world, and the rate of authenticity and truth that the media portrays to the public. This does not only apply to art, but also to literature, history, and all forms of genuine works that must be kept clean from AI forgery. I also find the ending to be well-justified and satisfactory. I do not have any dislikes to offer about the book, nor did I encounter any grammatical errors or typographical mistakes while reading. This book is well-written and excellently edited. Its context and style are truly profound, powerful, and insightful, and therefore I give it a flawless 5-star rating. I recommend this book to adult readers who care about art preservation and the demerits of artificial intelligence, as well as to readers who love suspenseful fiction. Readers should take note that the book contains traces of profanity.