THEICONOCLAST:AFEATUREDOCUMENTARY

Areal-lifethrillerabouttheworld’smostsuccessfulartsmuggler

‘Michel’sstoryismuchmoreinterestingthantheDiCapriocharacterinCatchMeIfYouCan.Iamfascinatedbytheconceptthatartloverscouldbeinadvertentlyfinancingterrorism.'

WebbHubbell,formerUSAttorneyGeneral‘Amongthoseveryfewindividualsintheworldwhohaveshownthecourage,thewillingnessandtheknowledgetocombatthosewhodealinillegalantiquitiesisMichelvanRijn.Heisforthrightandcredible,hisinformationisaccurate,sincerelyheldandhonestlyshared.Hehasbeena

constantsourceofvaluableinformation.’MatthewBogdanos,NewYorkDistrictAttorney

‘Inthesetimesofpost-truth,Michel’sstoryrepresentsourhungerforpost-modern,hard-living,renegadeswhoselivesknownoboundaries-yetareseriouslyflawed.Realityisaconstruct,andpeoplewillsimplybelievewhatappealstotheiremotionsandpersonalbeliefs—butthedangerwenowallfaceisdistinguishingbetweentheauthenticandtheperformed.NoonebelievedawordTrumpsaid,andyetheisnowthemostpowerfulmanintheworld.Arewenownotliving

intheageofspectacle,whichismoreimportantthananytruth?’KingADZ,September2017

SYNOPSISWelcometotheworldofhighrollers–peoplewhohaveeverythingtheirheartsdesire:insanecars,impossiblybeautifulmen/women,monstrousmansionsonthecoast,aPicassoabovethefireplace,aBanksyinthebedroom,andaRembrandtinthekharzi.TheArtsandAntiquitiesindustryisworthbillionsofpounds,androamingthisdomainisthelarger-than-lifecharacterofMichelvanRijn.TheIconoclastportraysthelifeandadventuresofMichelvanRijn:artforger,antiquitiessmuggler,jet-settingmillionaire,bonviveur,andall-roundmodernswashbucklinghero.WefollowMichelfromhisearlydaysinAmsterdam,smugglingiconsintoEuropefromRussiaandArmenia,andthenlivingthehighlifefromhispenthouseinBeirut.HefallsintobedwithsomedodgyJapanesewithdeeppocketsandaninsatiablethirstforEuropeantreasures,thenmovestoPariswherehemakesafortunesellingOldMasterswithquestionableprovenance(aswellastheoddspotofmoneylaundering),culminatingwithwarrantsforhisarrestbeingissuedinFrance,Switzerland,ItalyandHolland.Seeingasit’sthe80s,thereisonlyoneplacelefttorun–Marbella!Michelenjoysashortrespitebuthecan’tavoidthelawforever:hecomesoutwithhishandsintheair. Beingarrested,becomingafather,gettingbangedup,andthenrunningupagainstsomeverycriminal(butrichandpowerful)Americanswithahungerforlootedart–includingtracingNazigoldtoPrescottBush–forcesMicheltoreassesshislife.Money–he’smadeit.Art–he’sgotoneofthefinestcollectionsofByzantineIconsontheplanet.Family–he’sgotanever-expandingdynastyofsixex-wivesandfivechildren.Enemies?He’sgotthemlininguparoundtheblocktoextractrevenge.Michelneedstoswitchsides–andquickly.Sobeginsacrusadeagainstthecriminaldealersmakingmillionsofflooted,stolen,andotherwisesuspectartandantiques.Michellearnsthatartandantiquityloversarebuyinglootedandstolenpiecesfrom–supposedlyreputable–dealers,whoarethenchannelingtheprofitstofundglobalterrorism.Hededicateshissmugglinganddealingexpertisetothegoodfight,spendingyearshuntingdownlootedtreasureswhilsttryingtostayalive.ThedramaandtensionincreaseswhenMichelexposesafamilyofartanddrugsmugglerswithstronglinkstoterrorism,whoseekrevengebytargetinghiskids. TheIconoclastisanepicadventure-documentarymeetsexposéwithadashofBournethrowninforgoodmeasure.Aheavymontageofarchival-footageandauthenticreconstructions,tocreateavisualbrilliancematchingthebeautyoftheartbeinglooted.ThinkGomorrasetintheLouvre,andthenthinkabouthowtheartworldisfundingglobalterrorism,andthemind-bombplot-pointthatdropssomewherealongtheway.

KINGADZWriter,Director,Presenter

KingADZhasspentthepast25yearsimmersedinhisbelovedstreetculture,andusingthisknowledgetowritebooksanddirectdocumentaries.HebeganhiscreativelifeasanadvertisingartdirectorforagenciessuchasDDBandO&MinCapeTown,wherehebeganworkinginthedigitalmediumcirca1997—knownbackthenas‘internetadvertising’.ItwasaroundthistimethathewroteaTVspotthatnooneinSouthAfricacoulddirect,andwiththehelpofacrash-courseinAfterEffects,begandirecting.Afterbeinghead-huntedforadigitalarmofDMB&BinNewYorkin1999,ADZworkedwithclientssuchasPerrier,Gillette,KitchenAidandCadillac—whichwasenoughtoputhimoffadvertisingforawhile.ThankfullythedotcombubbleburstandADZreturnedtoLondonandpickedupworkdirectingmusicvideos(SirCliffRichard,Muzi)andTVspots(Teleflorist,AND1)withproductioncompaniessuchasBermudaShortsandBikiniFilms.ADZbeganshootingauthenticsub-culturessuchasDrum&Bass(inJungleRavers,2004)whichledhimtomakeaTVpilotaboutstreetcultureandtrackdowntheGodfatherofthestencil,BlekLeRattohelptellhis(untold)story.HissubsequentfeaturedocOriginalStencilPioneerputBlekfirmlyonthemapandalsoplacedADZsmack-banginthemiddleofthestreetartworld.ThedocbecameacallingcardforADZtodirectcontentforbrandssuchasDiesel,Adidas,Smirnoff&Guinness,andtotraveltheworldasawriter,hissubsequentworkbeingpublishedbyThames&Hudson,HarperCollins,andYellowJersey/Penguin.

SALONPICTURESProductionCompany

Salonproducesprestigefilmanddocumentarywithinternationalreach.In2015itsfeaturedocumentaryGascoignewasreleasedbyeOneandreachedplatinumsales,whileTheChallengewassoldtoDiscoveryandwonbestdocumentaryfilmatMilanFilmFestival.In2016,Salon’sbiographicalportraitofbare-knucklelegendLennyMcLean,TheGuv’nor,releasedbyLionsgate,wasnominatedforbestdocumentaryatEastEndFilmFestival.Atthesametime,Salonfilmedthefeaturebiopicofhislife,MyNameIsLenny,starringJoshHelmanandthelateSirJohnHurt.In2017,Salon’sperioddrama,Churchill,starringdoubleOscar-nomineeMirandaRichardsonandOlivier&EmmywinnerBrianCox,wasreleasedsimultaneouslyaroundtheworld,grossingover$6minitsfirstmonthoftheatricalexhibition,whileMyNameIsLennywasreleasedbyLionsgate.LaterthisyearseesAndrewKotting’sLek&theDogspremiereattheBFILondonFilmFestival,whilehigh-endbiographicalfeaturedocumentaryMcQueenshootsalongsidetwoothers,BreakingHabitsandFred.

CatchMichelIfYouCan

LittleWhiteLiesMagazineissue46,March/April2013,byKingAdz

Hewasresponsiblefor90percentofallartsmugglingontheplanet–beforeScotlandYardhiredhim.ThescreenwriterbehindthetruestorythatHollywoodcan'twaittofilmrevealstheworld’s

greatestartthief.

WordsbyKingADZ

IfirstmetMichelvanRijnatthebeginningofthedecadewhenhewaslivinginthemiddleofChelseanextdoortoEricClapton.Thesleight-of-handsmugglerslap-bangnexttool’Slowhand.Michelusedtobuymelunchandtellmestoriesofhislife.WelaughedathowBanskyusedtosneakintotheworld’sartgalleriesandhanghisownwork.SodidMichel.ButthedifferencewasthatMicheldidn’tsneakin–alittlemanfromthemuseumwouldhanghisstolenartforhim.Andbynow,whereverMichelwent,anarmedex-special-forcesminderwentwithhim,eventothepub,tooled-uplikeathugfromabadgangstermovie.Exceptthiswasreallyhappening. Michelisoneoftheworld’slasttrueadventurers.HisautobiographyHotArtColdCash–whichreadsmorelikeoneof007’sadventuresthananarthistorybook–almostblewtheartsandantiquitiesworldapart.Butthatwasonlyhalfthestory.Ittookfiveyearsforthepublisher’slibellawyerstoclearthemanuscriptandMichelstillinsiststheycutoutallthereallygoodbits. Michelwasbornin’50sParistoaDutchfatherandJewish-Frenchmother,bothartists.Hestartedoutinbusinesswhilehewasstillatschool,when,onamad,uncontrollableimpulse,herentedavacantgalleryintheheartofAmsterdam.Needingsomethingtosell,heandafrienddrovetoIstanbulandboughtsomeverycheapsheepskincoats.Heshiftedthemwithoutbreakingasweat,butitwasonthereturnjourneyformorecoatsthathiswholeworldchangedinaheartbeat. “TheownerproudlydisplayedseveralpiecesofbrightlycolouredrubbishwhichIpolitelydeclined,”remembersvanRijn.“ThenIsawit:thesilvercenser.AgenuineByzantinepiecewhichseemedtoshineoutamongthemodernimitationantiques.Ipickeditup,glancedatitandputitdownagain,apparentlydismissingit.TheelderlyTurkrecognisedthisasaritualgestureandproceededtoextolthevirtuesofthepiece.Itwasinthatmomentthatmyheartwascapturedbytheunfathomablebeautyofantiquities.Iwashookedlikeafuckingjunkie.Ihadtohavethatpiece.” Thesilvercenserwasslippedinwiththevan-loadofstinkingcoatsandmadeitbacktoAmsterdamwithoutahitch–thankstotherancidsmellfromtheuncuredsheepskinnocustomsofficerwantedtolookintheback,letalonesearchit.Thecensersoldfor10timestheamountthatbothvan-loadsofcoatsfetched.VanRijnknewwherehisfuturelay:“Fucksheepskincoats,I’mmovingtoBeirut.”

TheLebanesecapitalwasn’tknownastheParisoftheEastfornothing–itusedtobethewealthiest,mostartisticplaceontheplanetwithaseeminglylimitlesssupplyofpeoplesellingart,antiquitiesandotherpricelessartefacts.Itdidn’ttakeMichellongtorealisethatthesmartestguysintheroomweretheArmenians.Theyhadtheirownquarterinthecity,whichiswhereMichelhappenedupontwoofthemostamazingiconsevertohavebeensmuggledoutoftheSovietUnion–andtheyneededagoodhome.ThestaggeringamountofmoneytheseartifactsfetchedopenedMichel’seyeslikesaucers.HesoonflewintoArmenia–withstacksofdollarssewnintotheliningofhissuit–toscoopthetreasuresatthesource.Thistripdefinedhowbusinesswasdone(withcash)andhowtogetaroundtheauthorities(withmorecashandbottlesofFrenchBrandy).ItalsomadeMichelavery,veryrichman.“Iboughtapenthousewiththeproceedsfromthefirsttrip,”herecalls.“Iboughtmyownfuckingplanewiththenextone.” Forthenexttwodecades,Michelwheeled’n’dealedhiswayacrosstheplanet,partyinghard,buyinglow,sellinghigh,gettinghisfingersasdirtyashecouldwithlootedart.HebeganhisParisoperationsinthe‘80sandsoonwasdealinginhighart,withMiro,Picasso,ChagallandLégerhangingonhisgallerywalls.Butmoreandmore,theartworkshebegandealingwithwerefakes.“Iassembledagreatteamofforgers,artistsmakingthemostbeautifulpiecesofart,indistinguishablefromtherealthing.Itwasliketheywereremakinghistory.Justforme!” ItwasaroundthistimethatvanRijnsoldasketchbyLeonardodaVinci(forhispaintingTheVirginOfTheRocks)toaJapanesemuseumfor$14,500,000.He’dboughtitfor$175,000.ButbeforehecouldshipthedrawingoutofItaly,thestoryblewuponthefrontpages.“Therewascompletehysteria,”heremembers.“Nationaltelevisioncoveragewentberserkandformalgovernmentstatementswereissued.”ItalianauthoritieswantedtojailMichelfortheillegalexportofanitemofnationalimportance,butwerepowerlesstoactwhenthedrawingturnedouttobeafakecreatedbyoneofMichel’sartisans.Overtheyears,hisclientsincludedMafiadons,moviestars,corruptpoliticians,terrorists,narcotraffickers,therichestmanintheworld,aswellasrun-of-the-millmillionairesandaristocrats. Butitcouldn'tlastforeverandwarrantsforhisarrestweresoonissuedinFrance,Switzerland,ItalyandHolland.Beingthe’80s,therewasonlyoneplacelefttorun:Marbella.“IwasmateswiththeheadoftheCosaNostrawholivedinPuertoBanus,”saysvanRijn.“Hesortedeverythingformeforaslongashecould.ButwiththeamountofheatIhadattracteditwasnevergoingtobeforever.” WhentheSpanishpoliceconductedadawnraid,Michelcameoutwithhishandsintheair,smilingaffably,smokingaMarlboroandcoldrockinghistrademarkRalfLaurenpolo,BurberryshortsandGucciloafers.Butthearrestwasjustawarm-upforwhatwastocome:Michel’ssondiedafterbeingbornwithEdwardsSyndromeandthesmugglerstoppedinhistracksashisownlifelitupinfrontofhim. Smuggling,forging,drinking,lying.Beruit,Paris,Marbella,Madrid.Parties,criminals,terrorists,prison.Money:he’dmadeit.Enemies:he’dmadethemtoo.Art:he’dassembledone

ofthefinestcollectionsofByzantineIconsontheplanet.Family:he’dnowbeenmarriedseventimes,fatheringeightchildren.Hisbrainfizzingoverwithgriefanduncertainty,Michelaskedhimself:“WhatthefuckamIdoingwithmylife?”Andlikethat,thepoacherturnedgame-keeper.Itwastimetogivesomethingback.VanRijnbeganacrusadeagainstthemanheusedtobe,dedicatingtherestofhislifetohuntingdowncriminaldealerswhoweremakingmillionsfromstolenartandantiquities.Itwasadecisionwhichcameataheftyprice–theoneonhishead.AnotoriousfamilyofdrugandartsmugglersfromAfghanistanputoutahitonvanRijnfor£250,000.ThecontractwasacceptedbylocalaTaliban‘craftsman’andvanRijnmadeadiscoverythatshookhimtothecore:antiquity-loversarebuyingstolenpiecesfromdealerswhoarechannellingtheprofitsintoterroristactivities.Putsimply,theartworldisfundingglobalterrorism.AndMichelhadkickedthehornet’snest. “Youneverfearthepeoplewhothreatenyou,”hesays.“ButtheonesIexposedwithsmugglingroutes–alsousedforheroin–aremuchheavierpeople.Theydon’tthreaten.Theyjustturnuponyourfuckingdoorstep.OnemorningIreceivedphotosofmykidsleavingthehouseforschool.Themessagewasloudandclear.”Bynow,theheataroundthecornerwasstartingtosingethehairsonhisneck. Backin1989,MichelwassatdrinkinghisusualafternooncocktailontheterraceofhisAmsterdamhotel,surroundedbyYugoslavianbodyguards.He’dbeendealingwithamassofstolentreasurespouringoutoftheBalkansthankstotheunrestthereandhadcomeintocontactwithapairofpsychopathiccrimebosses–onewhojusthappenedtohavebeenshotdeadinthemiddleofadrug-relateddeal.NothingtodowithMichel,butthecrimefamilythoughtotherwise.“IwasjustgettingovertheamountofmoneyIhadwatcheddisappearwhenIheardacrackandwonderedwhyallmybodyguardshadhitthefloor,”hesays.“Thenfeltapaininmyleg.Ihadbeenshotfromapassingboatonthecanal.” Fast-forwardtothemid’90s.MicheliswalkingfromarestauranttohishotelinStLouis,USA.HehadbeenworkingundercoverwiththeFBIexposingamassiveantiquitiesfraudthatledallthewaybacktotheoneofAmerica’sbiggestpoliticaldynastiesand$56mhiddeninafreezer.Thistime,he’dgonetooclosetosomethingtoobig.“ThenextthingIknew,someonehadstartedshootingatmeandIwaslyingface-downonthepavement,”heremembers.“Luckilytheymissed.Ididn’tgivethemasecondchance.”VanRijncaughtthenextplaneoutoftheUS,nevertoreturn.Beforesomeoneelsemadehimdisappear,vanRijndecidedtopullhisownvanishingact. Theartworld’sIndianaJonesmayhavehunguphishat,buthisstorywasjusttoogoodtoendthere.Backinthe‘90s,thefilmrightstoMichelvanRijnlifehadbeenoptionedforaconsiderablesum.Butnothingwaseverrealisedandwhentheoptionranout,MichelaskedifIwasinterested.Ibithishandoff,sittingdowntowritethescreenplayofhislife.Exceptthissprawlingepicwasn’tascreenplay–itwasadocumentary,anovel,andaTVseries.

PRODUCTIONSTILLSCopyrightRobbieVanBrussel,2015

KingADZ,WilmaStone,MichelvanRijn

MichelvanRijn

MichelasksKingADZtosmuggleanIcontotesthisloyalty

MichelvanRijnandhisfavouriteiconofalltimeSt.Peter

Banksymakesthefirstofhistwocameoappearances

MichelandthelegendaryFrenchbankrobberStephanLanza

YoungMichelplayedbyRoyceCronin

MossadOperativeplayedbyValeriaVereau