Gemischtes Doppel
(Double Game)
Paul Auster modelled his fictitious character Maria Turner in his novel Leviathan on the French concept artist Sophie Calle. He attributed a range of Calle's works to his protagonist, and also added some fictitious works of art. This triggered a complex interplay between Auster and Calle when she actually carried out some of his fictitious art projects and ultimately asked the author for new instructions. Auster responded by writing a concept that was several pages long and became known as the Gotham Handbook, which formed the basis for their jointly produced artists' book Double Game. An amusing relationship between two artists where the question of authorship, original and copy is staged as an artful comedy.
