The sales pitch goes that Jean Paul Mangin is a reclusive Parisian sculptor whose works are internationally acclaimed.
His pieces sell quickly through one particular Australian gallery, sought after by trendy interior designers.
But gallery staff are starting to ask questions. Why is Jean Paul Mangin uncontactable? Why can’t they find any evidence of his international credentials?
And why do his works show up - sometimes in a single layer of bubble-wrap - within days of being commissioned?
Reporter Julia Bergin follows the trail from a Melbourne loading dock to the backstreets of Paris, with one simple question: who is Jean Paul Mangin?
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