Here’s another foolish saying: “fool me once shame on you, fool me twice shame on me.” Back in the ’80s painter Mark Kostabi made fools out of the art world and made a ton of money doing so. He hired other people to make his paintings, mocked his fellow artists and turned outrage into his everyday outfit. The documentary Con Artist tries to understand the complexity and simplicity of Kostabi’s stance. It also raises the question – who’s really the fool here – Kostabi – or the audience?

To sort it out, Eight Forty-Eight turned to Christy LeMaster. She’s the managing director of IFP Chicago, and runs the Nightingale Theatre in Chicago. She also writes about film for Cine-File.

Con Artist screens opens at Facets Cinémathèque on Friday, April 8. Super opens at the Music Box Theatre on Friday, April 8.