Art

Courbet's 'Origin of the World' Tagged, Stalemate in Mary Miss Land Art Dispute, Gaza Protest at the Met Gala, and … – ARTnews

Published

4 months ago

May 8, 2024

To receive Morning Links in your inbox every weekday, sign up for our Breakfast with ARTnews newsletter.

THE HEADLINES

PROTEST/ART. Gustave Courbet’s The Origin of the World (1866) and other artworks were tagged with the red-painted words, “MeToo,” and an embroidered art piece by Annette Messager was snatched in plain sight at the Centre Pompidou-Metz yesterday. The provocative Courbet painting of a vulva, on loan from the Musée d’Orsay, was not damaged, due to a protective glass covering. An artist named Deborah de Robertis, confirmed to reporters she organized what she describes as a group performance, titled “On ne sépare pas la femme de l’artiste,” [You don’t separate the woman from the artist]. A video shows two women painted the words “MeToo” on the Courbet artwork and another by the feminist Valie Export. A total of five pieces were targeted at the exhibit about the French psychoanalyst Jacques Lacan, while participants distracted museum security and chanted “MeToo.” Two women have been detained by police, while Robertis is reportedly suspected of stealing Annette Messager’s red embroidered piece called “Je pense donc je suce” [I think, therefore I suck]. Robertis told the AFP the theft was a “gesture of re-appropriation,” because she recognized the object from the collection of an unnamed co-curator of the exhibit, whom Robertis said she knew personally from past sexual misconduct, according to Le Figaro. In other words, c’est compliqué!

STALEMATE. A judge has ordered a stalemate — for now — in the dispute over the land art installation Greenwood Pond: Double Site, by Mary Miss, located at the Des Moines Art Center (DMAC). “Neither side is entitled to what it wants,” wrote US District Court for the Southern District of Iowa, Stephen Locher, according to The Art Newspaper. Locher nevertheless issued a preliminary injunction blocking the DMAC from demolishing the artwork without the artist’s permission, as they had planned. But the judge also said the center could not be forced to repair the sculpture if the cost was too high. DMAC estimates restoration will require over $2.6 million, a sum which the artist contests. “The end result is therefore an unsatisfying status quo: the artwork will remain standing (for now) despite being in a condition that no one likes but that the court cannot order anyone to change,” said the judge. Miss nevertheless welcomed the ruling in response to her claim that the Edmundson Art Foundation, which owns DMAC, violated her original contract, and she hopes the temporary restraining order “opens the door to the consultations about the future of the site that were denied me.”

THE DIGEST

Police blocked pro-Palestinian protestors from getting close to the Met Gala yesterday in New York. Demonstrators were heading toward the Metropolitan Museum of Art when the NYPD intercepted their march at 5^th Avenue and 80^th Street, while barricades blocked alternative routes towards the exclusive fashion event. [Bloomberg]

Demonstrators targeted another black-tie event on Saturday, the Hammer Museum’s annual gala in Los Angeles, and called for the resignation of UCLA Chancellor Gene Block, who is also a member of the museum’s board of directors. Some 50 UCLA faculty members reportedly protested outside the museum and called for amnesty for students and others arrested during campus Gaza demonstrations last week. [Hyperallergic]

Jack Lang, a former Socialist Party French Culture Minister and current head of the Arab World Institute in Paris, told El Pais, “the Arab world has abandoned Palestine. Even some of the countries that had shown signs of enthusiastic support for years.” The Arab World Institute recently held an exhibition featuring Palestinian artists, some of whom Lang said have died in the ongoing war. [El Pais]

A park on the Hudson River in New York known as “Little Island,” is being reconfigured into a four-month annual performance arts festival by its owner, Barry Diller, with a budget of over $100 million for programming over the next two decades. He is joined by Scott Rudin, the producer whom workers accused of bullying in 2021. [The New York Times]

Researchers in France have unearthed an unusually shaped, Neolithic monument in Marliens, south of Dijon, estimated to be thousands of years old. The 15-acre site “seems unprecedented” in its form, containing several, circular enclosures, said a statement by the French national Institute for Preventive Archaeological Research (INRAP). [Smithsonian Magazine]

THE KICKER

BLOCKBUSTER SCANDAL. The New Yorker’s Rebecca Mead chronicles “the British Museum’s blockbuster scandal,” over thousands of missing and stolen artifacts allegedly lifted and partly sold on eBay by a museum curator. Overlooked, and improperly catalogued, Mead explains the historic, high value ancient Romans attributed to artifacts like the now missing, engraved semiprecious stones and objects cast from glass. They were unique works of art, and reveal important details about their subjects. Mead also asks the underlying question: “Why should the sarcophagi of Egyptian kings or the fragments of ancient Greek architecture be housed in London, and claimed in some sense as British? … At a certain point in a museum’s history, it becomes more than just a repository of the cultural and artistic past, telling a story about the history of a nation, or a people, or the world. It also becomes a museum of itself – of its formation, its collecting history, its priorities, and its failings.”

Adblock test (Why?)

Source link

Art

Calvin Lucyshyn: Vancouver Island Art Dealer Faces Fraud Charges After Police Seize Millions in Artwork

Published

6 days ago

September 13, 2024

Harry Miller

In a case that has sent shockwaves through the Vancouver Island art community, a local art dealer has been charged with one count of fraud over $5,000. Calvin Lucyshyn, the former operator of the now-closed Winchester Galleries in Oak Bay, faces the charge after police seized hundreds of artworks, valued in the tens of millions of dollars, from various storage sites in the Greater Victoria area.

Alleged Fraud Scheme

Police allege that Lucyshyn had been taking valuable art from members of the public under the guise of appraising or consigning the pieces for sale, only to cut off all communication with the owners. This investigation began in April 2022, when police received a complaint from an individual who had provided four paintings to Lucyshyn, including three works by renowned British Columbia artist Emily Carr, and had not received any updates on their sale.

Further investigation by the Saanich Police Department revealed that this was not an isolated incident. Detectives found other alleged victims who had similar experiences with Winchester Galleries, leading police to execute search warrants at three separate storage locations across Greater Victoria.

Massive Seizure of Artworks

In what has become one of the largest art fraud investigations in recent Canadian history, authorities seized approximately 1,100 pieces of art, including more than 600 pieces from a storage site in Saanich, over 300 in Langford, and more than 100 in Oak Bay. Some of the more valuable pieces, according to police, were estimated to be worth $85,000 each.

Lucyshyn was arrested on April 21, 2022, but was later released from custody. In May 2024, a fraud charge was formally laid against him.

Artwork Returned, but Some Remain Unclaimed

In a statement released on Monday, the Saanich Police Department confirmed that 1,050 of the seized artworks have been returned to their rightful owners. However, several pieces remain unclaimed, and police continue their efforts to track down the owners of these works.

Court Proceedings Ongoing

The criminal charge against Lucyshyn has not yet been tested in court, and he has publicly stated his intention to defend himself against any pending allegations. His next court appearance is scheduled for September 10, 2024.

Impact on the Local Art Community

The news of Lucyshyn’s alleged fraud has deeply affected Vancouver Island’s art community, particularly collectors, galleries, and artists who may have been impacted by the gallery’s operations. With high-value pieces from artists like Emily Carr involved, the case underscores the vulnerabilities that can exist in art transactions.

For many art collectors, the investigation has raised concerns about the potential for fraud in the art world, particularly when it comes to dealing with private galleries and dealers. The seizure of such a vast collection of artworks has also led to questions about the management and oversight of valuable art pieces, as well as the importance of transparency and trust in the industry.

As the case continues to unfold in court, it will likely serve as a cautionary tale for collectors and galleries alike, highlighting the need for due diligence in the sale and appraisal of high-value artworks.

While much of the seized artwork has been returned, the full scale of the alleged fraud is still being unraveled. Lucyshyn’s upcoming court appearances will be closely watched, not only by the legal community but also by the wider art world, as it navigates the fallout from one of Canada’s most significant art fraud cases in recent memory.

Art collectors and individuals who believe they may have been affected by this case are encouraged to contact the Saanich Police Department to inquire about any unclaimed pieces. Additionally, the case serves as a reminder for anyone involved in high-value art transactions to work with reputable dealers and to keep thorough documentation of all transactions.

As with any investment, whether in art or other ventures, it is crucial to be cautious and informed. Art fraud can devastate personal collections and finances, but by taking steps to verify authenticity, provenance, and the reputation of dealers, collectors can help safeguard their valuable pieces.

Art

Ukrainian sells art in Essex while stuck in a warzone – BBC.com

Published

2 weeks ago

September 2, 2024

Harry Miller

[unable to retrieve full-text content]

Ukrainian sells art in Essex while stuck in a warzone BBC.com

Source link

Art

Somerset House Fire: Courtauld Gallery Reopens, Rest of Landmark Closed

Published

1 month ago

August 18, 2024

Harry Miller

The Courtauld Gallery at Somerset House has reopened its doors to the public after a fire swept through the historic building in central London. While the gallery has resumed operations, the rest of the iconic site remains closed “until further notice.”

On Saturday, approximately 125 firefighters were called to the scene to battle the blaze, which sent smoke billowing across the city. Fortunately, the fire occurred in a part of the building not housing valuable artworks, and no injuries were reported. Authorities are still investigating the cause of the fire.

Despite the disruption, art lovers queued outside the gallery before it reopened at 10:00 BST on Sunday. One visitor expressed his relief, saying, “I was sad to see the fire, but I’m relieved the art is safe.”

The Clark family, visiting London from Washington state, USA, had a unique perspective on the incident. While sightseeing on the London Eye, they watched as firefighters tackled the flames. Paul Clark, accompanied by his wife Jiorgia and their four children, shared their concern for the safety of the artwork inside Somerset House. “It was sad to see,” Mr. Clark told the BBC. As a fan of Vincent Van Gogh, he was particularly relieved to learn that the painter’s famous Self-Portrait with Bandaged Ear had not been affected by the fire.

Blaze in the West Wing

The fire broke out around midday on Saturday in the west wing of Somerset House, a section of the building primarily used for offices and storage. Jonathan Reekie, director of Somerset House Trust, assured the public that “no valuable artefacts or artworks” were located in that part of the building. By Sunday, fire engines were still stationed outside as investigations into the fire’s origin continued.

About Somerset House

Located on the Strand in central London, Somerset House is a prominent arts venue with a rich history dating back to the Georgian era. Built on the site of a former Tudor palace, the complex is known for its iconic courtyard and is home to the Courtauld Gallery. The gallery houses a prestigious collection from the Samuel Courtauld Trust, showcasing masterpieces from the Middle Ages to the 20th century. Among the notable works are pieces by impressionist legends such as Edouard Manet, Claude Monet, Paul Cézanne, and Vincent Van Gogh.

Somerset House regularly hosts cultural exhibitions and public events, including its popular winter ice skating sessions in the courtyard. However, for now, the venue remains partially closed as authorities ensure the safety of the site following the fire.

Art lovers and the Somerset House community can take solace in knowing that the invaluable collection remains unharmed, and the Courtauld Gallery continues to welcome visitors, offering a reprieve amid the disruption.

Source link