According to an exhibiting artist at the Nanaimo Art Gallery, abstract art is a lot like literature.
The name of the group show, Sun Over Swamp, is taken from the title of a 1964 painting by Takao Tanabe – which is displayed at the gallery along with additional works by the artist. The original painting has been described as “a brushed yellow rectangle hovering over splashes of ochre and umber and hatches of turquoise and slate.”
The show features the work of five artists as they consider ecology through different forms of abstract painting.
In an e-mail, participating artist Azadeh Elmizadeh said that she’s been interested in how climate and environment, specifically in arid areas such as the Iranian plateau, have given birth to certain myths and fables that centre around the significance of water.
“Just as paint flows and shifts on a canvas, water embodies a similar fluidity that incorporates both an element of uncertainty and feels like the proper material to convey the transformation of mythological beings into becoming one with their environment,” she said.
As part of the group show, she created three oil paintings on linen using predominantly blues and greens of various tones and hues to create work that is reminiscent of creatures lurking in the depths of water.
Elmizadeh is an Iranian-Canadian visual artist born in Tehran and based in Toronto. Her work has been displayed in galleries and exhibitions in Lethbridge, Alta., Toronto, Los Angeles, New York, Milan and London.
During an artist discussion event on Saturday, April 27, Nanaimo Art Gallery curator Jesse Birch asked how the participating artists found their voice in abstraction and what their journeys were like.
Elmizadeh answered that even in her most abstracted work, there is a reference to either a narrative, a story, or a piece of poetry. Although, her older work had been based on photographs and was quite representational, she said. As she progressed, she felt there was something about photographs that were too fixed – an aspect she couldn’t overcome with her imagination. And so, she began to create collage out of the photographs, since the fragmentation helped her move into abstraction. As she again progressed in her medium, she began to explore the idea of what ignited her imagination.
“I found that in language, in poetry and literature, which I think unlike a photograph as a reference, language is quite unfixed. There’s something about it that’s constantly changing,” she said. “There’s the image that ignites in your imagination is not fixed. It’s manual and the translation into the painting could also have the qualities of the imagination.”
The Sun Over Swamp group show, on display at the Nanaimo Art Gallery until June 23, also includes the work of Rebecca Brewer, Rita Letendre and Gailan Ngan.
The gallery will also hold a workshop called Abstraction in the Landscape on May 7 that considers the themes in the show as it “explores the line between figurative and abstract painting.”
Artist Azadeh Elmizadeh’s three submissions for the Nanaimo Art Gallery’s ongoing exhibit titled Sun Over Swamp which shows until June 23. (Mandy Moraes/News Bulletin)
LONDON (AP) — With a few daubs of a paintbrush, the Brontë sisters have got their dots back.
More than eight decades after it was installed, a memorial to the three 19th-century sibling novelists in London’s Westminster Abbey was amended Thursday to restore the diaereses – the two dots over the e in their surname.
The dots — which indicate that the name is pronounced “brontay” rather than “bront” — were omitted when the stone tablet commemorating Charlotte, Emily and Anne was erected in the abbey’s Poets’ Corner in October 1939, just after the outbreak of World War II.
They were restored after Brontë historian Sharon Wright, editor of the Brontë Society Gazette, raised the issue with Dean of Westminster David Hoyle. The abbey asked its stonemason to tap in the dots and its conservator to paint them.
“There’s no paper record for anyone complaining about this or mentioning this, so I just wanted to put it right, really,” Wright said. “These three Yorkshire women deserve their place here, but they also deserve to have their name spelled correctly.”
It’s believed the writers’ Irish father Patrick changed the spelling of his surname from Brunty or Prunty when he went to university in England.
Raised on the wild Yorkshire moors, all three sisters died before they were 40, leaving enduring novels including Charlotte’s “Jane Eyre,” Emily’s “Wuthering Heights” and Anne’s “The Tenant of Wildfell Hall.”
Rebecca Yorke, director of the Brontë Society, welcomed the restoration.
“As the Brontës and their work are loved and respected all over the world, it’s entirely appropriate that their name is spelled correctly on their memorial,” she said.
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.
