Monday, September 03, 2007

Scam or Need an Editor?

So I got this via e-mail, today...

Córdoba, Argentina.

Dear Visual Artist

Daniel North

Found out its work quality, we considered your incorporation in the book "THE AESTHETICS AND THE CONTEMPORARY ART" produced by ATcultura.

Biographies and images of artists ; commentaries by prominents reviewers, messages and essays of Contemporary Art, will be present in this highquality book, big format, it will be distribuited on first universities and museums of the world.

Book will be edited in illustration paper, with photocrom illustrations and in a fancy box, covered by a luxe cloth binding, bilingual ( Spanish and English).

Artists invited to take part of edition, will invite by a selection criteria of quality.

Atcultura is sponsored only formally by the Government and enterprises but solicit not subsidies from they, wherefore ATcultura prefer avoid any possible conditionament, this colaborative project solicit to artists one minimum monetary contribution.

Previous books of ATcultura include artists like Caio Fonseca, Natasha de Wet, Perez Celis, Carole Feuerman, Regina José Galindo, etc. You can see in www.atculturalibro.blogspot.com or in our page www.atcultura.com

If would be interesting participation in this book for you, we require you as soon possible reply to: atcultura@argentina.com with a brief biography for be larged to future, adress and phone number, to be considered one of selectioned artist for receive own proposal.

Best regards.

Dipl. Ricardo Lescano Grosso

Director. ATcultura.

www.atcultura.com

My first instinct was that this originated in Nigeria, but the website was real and the blog was real... so is it an elaborate hoax or amazingly bad editing? - DN

17 comments:

Anonymous said...

I'd guess they're going to print a vanity book and they want you to buy some copies.

(I was once offered an opportunity to see my biography listed in "Who's Who's" - I probably don't rate a posting in "What's That"

danielnorth.com said...

That was my guess as well, after reviewing the website... still a scam just maybe not a Nigerian one. - DN

Anonymous said...

Hello, just for info. The SEEMS to be real. In case you anwer to this e-mail and show your interest you will receive the following e-mail:

...

Book AESTHETICS AND CONTEMPORARY ART
Information and requirements for its definitive inclusion in the book Aesthetics and Contemporary Art
Of the book the publishing work “Aesthetics and Contemporary Art”, will be published in the first semester of 2008, BEING CONSIDERED ITS PRESENTATION IN ARGENTINA FOR the MONTH OF JUNE OF 2008. It will be published IN ONE FIRST DISTANCE 1000 (thousands) EXEMPLARY WITH THE CHARACTERISTICS THAT ALREADY WE INFORMED PREVIOUSLY, of which there will be approximately 100 (one hundred) for the artists (a book for each one), 200 (two hundred) exemplary ones will be distributed gratuitously in the main museums, universities, libraries and important embassies of different COUNTRIES FROM the WORLD and other institutions that ATcultura as for the best diffusion of the book considers. This work will count on international the critical outstanding participation.
All the selected artists must send on with photographies of their works in a 3 minimum of and maximum of 10, with title of each work, dimensions and technique of accomplishment and being abstract to indicate their position, but a writing of their thought about the art of not but of 150 words, but a card of participation, and a CD with the images of the works, directed to Ricardo Cesar Lescano Grosso, ATcultura, Avda. Hipólito Irigoyen 248, Floor 9 “D” (X5000JHO) Cordoba, Argentina. The postal shipment will have like term day January 31 of 2007, date of exit of the origin country, (date of the postmark).
All the selected artists to participate in the edition of the book, will have to reserve its space in he himself, by means of the Card of corresponding participation, who will have to complete and to send in the stipulated term. Also, the artist or his/her sponsor will have to contribute American dollars U$S 320 (three hundred twenty), being able to decide on a unique delivery until day January 31 of 2007 or 2 (two) quotas of U$S165, each one, making the first deposit until day January 31, and the second 30 days after. To such aim, the participants will be able to send the money by means of Transference of money person to person through Western Union to Ricardo Cesar Lescano Grosso, Argentina, inform us inmediatly by e-mail atcultura@argentina.com , lescanogrosso@yahoo.com.ar telephone 054 351 4210021 indicating in the warning the ten digits of the operation, or personally to go to Hipòlito Irigoyen 248, Floor 9 “D” Cordoba.
If the artist prefers to make a banking transference, must express it to ATcultura inasmuch as for this form other requirements make lack that demand the Banks of Argentina and for that case the U$S 350 amount rises to dollars by the expenses that demand the banks of Argentina.
Tickets of deposit will constitute receipt and receipt of payment in form (to conserve them). Anyway, once made the deposit, the artist will have to send via email all the information of the contribution for our registry and once completed the total of the contribution, if she requires it, she will receive certainty from AT culture.
Of the rights and benefits
All the artists who register, acquire the right of being including in the book and to participate in the contemplated benefits. Each participant artist will have a complete page in the book with an image of his work, brief curriculum and their thought (in a text of up to 150 words).Of all the participant creators in the edition, ATcultura will select one, acquiring he himself the right to that their work is carried of the book the Aesthetic one and the Contemporary Art. The selection criterion will consider the aesthetic quality and the content of the work. Reverse cover of the book will take to writing (in plotted form) the full name of all the participant artists and ATcultura will select one by country so that a work hers illustrious reverse cover.
All the participant artists will be including in the page Web of ATcultura. Two artists will be selected to exhibit their works in a museum or cultural center of Cordoba, Argentina. Finally, the artists will be invited upon presentment of Book in Argentina, anticipated for June of 2008 approximately.
Please it prints, it fills up and it sends the participation card that will find next or advise if it wants to receive it by postal mail indicating direction of where to direct to us.
Ricardo Cesar Lescano Grosso
Director.

Participation check of the book: Aesthetics and Contemporary Art
NAMES:............................................................................................................................................................
LAST NAMES:………………………………………………………………………………………………………… Address: .......................................................................... City .................................................................. ….
Province:………………………………............................................................................................................... Country:....…………….......................................................... Postal code: ................................... Telephone-fax:.................................................................... email:......................................................... web page ..........................................................................
Country that represents: .............................................................................................................
Resume:................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................
He/She that subscribes declares that the data that they precede are true and confirms its participation in the Edition of Book “Aesthetic and the Contemporary Art” that will be published approximately in June 2008.
Signature .......................................
Installment the sum of U$S ................ for payment to participate in the Edition by means of: (To indicate way and mode of payment of shipment)
................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................ ……………………………………
Place and date: ..................................................................................................................
Observations:.................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

Anonymous said...

i think why is mail from yahoo and not from the original page, i just receive that type of mail(first one) i thinking what i must do

John's Arts & Crafts said...

This sounds like a scam. This is for muflon said.. "i thinking what i must do" Well muflon I wrote a hub giving easly to follow how to steps on dealing with scammers
http://hubpages.com/_12decfraud86/hub/Report-Scammers

Anonymous said...

Welllll....
Mr. Ricardo Cesar Lescano Grosso found me too-
I make traditional Swedish handcarved spoons, bowls and small furniture-
In his answers I found that he's interested in traditonal SPANISH tradition- Hmm. My country was occupied by the spanish 400 years ago, but this really must be a mistake.. Then he asked me for NON- FUNCTIONAL poieces.. Geez man.. I go through pain after pain to let this stuff work- I'm a PRODUCTDESIGNER. Guess he hasn't seen my website.. (www.houtvanbomen.com)
Then: Why would I pay 380 dollars for a random choice of artists and craftspeople in South America.. What will be delivered-
So: for me this is a definite NO- no..

Anonymous said...

I received one of these as well. It seems they got my information from a local artists' registry. I'm trying to check the people out but can't get further than their own websites. They have been very responsive to my emails, however. They are asking for quite a bit of money so the whole thing makes me a bit nervous. Anyone have any other information on this? I'm thinking of emailing the Argentine consulate to see if they know anything about the outfit.

Anonymous said...

This is bullshit, all. I have not seen one credible thing about this guy or his organization.

Some interesting discussion is going on about it on the two posts I wrote about when I received the same invites.

Steer clear of this guy & his scam.

Unknown said...

Hi guys!! I received the exact same emails!! I tried calling them but apparently that Mr Grosso is 'away' and cannot call me back, he ONLY responds by email.. I insisted to talk to ANYONE else regarding the book but the answer was once again negative.. this really smells bad! I think it's a scam too..

Anonymous said...

Hi! I just got the same letter: about publishing my artwork in a book... I just found your blog by doing a search on Google. I don't know what to think... Thery were asking for a "reasonable contribution". Anyone that mysteriously e-mails and asks for money... Beware! but more beware if they are porising you money.
You and others should check it out, because you never know! thats what I'm going to do (research. and will let you know. It didn't help this posting was the first hit on Google, and said: "SCAM".
Sincerely,
A.F.M.
emailafm@gmail.com

Antía said...

i just got today a similar one, i hate this kind of spam for artists!

Anonymous said...

seriously, this scam is still running!!

Sveta said...

I have got one as well. But you know what I think - now that I don't have doubts it's a scam I just find it very curious. What if somebody would really collect artists to participate this way? What a brilliantly random idea! :P

Anonymous said...

This message arrived as far as Istanbul, Turkey!! received it beginning this month oct 2010, defintely too late for the 2007 issue as referred to by some of the above blogs. It looks like this message has been travelling around for some years now -anybody seen a copy of that book yet??

Unknown said...

I received he same thing, asking for a reasonable amount of money.
They don't seem to have any curatorial design or criteria for the selection. I've seen that they've sent this kind of mails since 2005, and there's no images of the book yet. I think this is fake.

Christophe Vacher said...

Guys, stay away from this guy. I went for it and paid almost 2 years ago. Never heard back from the guy, despite all my emails.
It all looks pretty legit, but it is a scam.
If this guy is still doing this, he needs to be stopped. He probably robbed hundreds of people.
I'm going to try and see what can be done.

karen said...

got one too - today, sept. 4th, 2012!