Art Heist, Baby!
| Fanfiction | |
|---|---|
| Title: | Art Heist, Baby! |
| Author(s): | otrtbs |
| Date(s): | 2022 |
| Length: | 219,000 Words |
| Genre(s): | Alternate Universe |
| Fandom(s): | Harry Potter |
| Relationship(s): | |
| External Links: | https://archiveofourown.org/works/38454070 |
Click here for related articles on Fanlore. | |
Art Heist, Baby! is a popular Harry Potter Marauders fanfiction written by otrtbs in 2022. It features Jegulus as a main pairing along with Wolfstar (with background Dorlene and Evan Rosier/Barty Crouch, Jr.) The story follows a group of the Marauders characters as they plan and execute the largest art heist in history. Art Heist was originally published to AO3 from 18 April 2022 to 26 July 2022.
As of May 2024, the fanfic is restricted to AO3 users only. An archived version is also available.
Otrtbs has also published a spin-off/sequel, Tender Curiosities, Baby! following the characters Barty Crouch, Jr. and Evan Rosier.
Contents
When James Potter answers a mysterious ad in his local coffee shop, the last thing he expects is to be thrown into a world of white collar crime, but how can he resist when the mastermind behind the operation has dark hair and brooding eyes and promises wealth beyond James' wildest imagination? He would do anything for that boy named after a star, including stealing millions of dollars of fine art.AO3 summary provided by otrtbs
The story and its themes of art history are drawn from the other's own experience in art history and the museum field.[1] [2] However, the museum targeted by the heist, the Braxton Museum of Fine Art, is fictional.[1] [3] According to otrtbs, the decision to base the story around a fictional museum was to increase the ability to be flexible with the building's layout as well as increased freedom to decide which artworks to have in the building.[4][5]
...I get so hyper specific with the things that I want to see in a fic and I’m like ‘This doesn’t exist, I have to write it if I want to see it.’ For Art Heist… I need[ed] art to be such a central tenant of this fic. I just don’t want them to like meet at a museum or for Remus to be a painter… I want him [Remus] to go to galleries, go to auction houses, I want him to be a part of the art world… I was going to go on vacation in July and I was hunting for the golden fic… I wanted an art heist AU with Jegulus, but it didn’t exist yet.Otrtbs on the inspiration behind the fanfic on the podcast Into the Fic of It.[6]
References to a variety of famous art pieces are made throughout the story. The author has provided a Google Doc referencing the works in fanficiton. [7]
The story is infamous for its ending involving a rather crushing major character death, which was planned from the story's inception.[8]
Reception
here’s the thing. the absolute joy and wonder i feel whenever someone tells me they came across ahb! and are now taking an art history course / majoring in art next year / went to their local art museum for the first time in ages is exponential. when yall send me your favorite artworks and tell me about them or tell me you went to x museum to see x painting mentioned in ahb??? it’s just so so wonderful. because never did i think something i wrote out of love for art and love for art history would lead anyone else to research art or talk about it or seek it out for themselves and that’s so much more than i could ever imagine would come out of a very timid first attempt at creative writing/fandom involvement. i wrote it out of love and y’all have all reciprocated that love tenfold and ran with it to talk about art and explore it and share it with me and those around you. and it’s just been a very special incredible thing that makes me emosh. :,)"Post on tumblr by otrtbs on the impact of Art Heist, Baby![9]
Art Heist, Baby! is a very influential and popular fanwork for the Marauders, inspiring multiple podfics, works of fanart, and tiktoks.[10]
A popular trend originating from readers of the story is to hang pink post-it notes with the handwritten note "Hang painting here?" This is a direct reference to a note left by Regulus Black in the story.[11][12] During a visit to an art museum, one reader left a "Hang painting here?" note by an art work as a reference for fellow fans.[13]
The fanfic has also inspired multiple readers to study art history as reported in asks left on otrbts's tumblr account.[14][15]
In 2023, Art Heist, Baby was one of many stories to be found being sold online without the author's knowledge or consent. (See 2024 Harry Potter Fanbinding Controversy) As a result, otrtbs drew attention to this through their tumblr and requested that no further fanbound copies of the work be made.[16]
Related & Inspired Fanworks
Edits
Sirius & Regulus (Me and the Devil) by @spidermarls
Wolfstar (...Ready For It?) by @franimagus
The Heist (Bad Girls) by @azkabansbaddestbitch
ART HEIST BABY! (...Ready For It?) by @lavhcze
Fanart
Fanart by tumblr user betweendyingstars
Fanfiction
Works tagged as "Inspired by Art Heist, Baby!" on AO3
Playlists
Spotify Playlist for Art Heist, Baby! created by otrtbs under the username Nat<3
Spotify Playlist for Tender Curiosities, Baby! created by otrtbs under the username Nat<3
Podfic
Podfic of Art Heist, Baby! by AO3 User peaceinpanem
Podfic of Tender Curiosities, Baby! by AO3 user peaceinpanem
Podfic by Spotify user zebrastripes365 (contains an unofficial, alternate happy ending)
Podfic by Spotify user YourMomsLibrary
Translations
Spanish translation by AO3 user This_is_Val
Ukrainian translation by AO3 user aswkdj
Notes & References
- ^ https://otrtbs.tumblr.com/post/751034912460652544/hi-could-you-explain-a-little-bit-what-you
- ^ [2]
- ^ [3]
- ^ [4]
- ^ https://otrtbs.tumblr.com/post/745040478493458432/nat-props-to-you-honestly-im-working-on-my
- ^ Spotify link to podfic
- ^ [5]
- ^ https://otrtbs.tumblr.com/post/740439774772494336/when-you-first-started-writing-art-heist-baby
- ^ here’s the thing a tumblr post by otrtbs, 11 Dec 2023. Accessed 7 Jun 2024.
- ^ See a skit re-enacting a scene from the fic here
- ^ https://otrtbs.tumblr.com/post/740380797687709696/hello-i-hope-the-best-writer-in-the-world-is-all
- ^ https://otrtbs.tumblr.com/post/747066935456432128/okay-so-theres-a-very-real-possibility-this
- ^ https://www.tumblr.com/starsarestories/747209886765596672/i-went-to-a-museum-today-and-it-wasnt-the-same
- ^ https://otrtbs.tumblr.com/post/740268137622192128/hi-i-just-wanted-to-let-you-know-that-reading
- ^ https://otrtbs.tumblr.com/post/740384447850037248/hey-just-wanted-to-say-ahb-single-handedly
- ^ [6]