Art
Dark money fund poured millions of dollars into eco activist groups blocking highways, destroying famous art
FIRST ON FOX: A fledgling dark money climate group poured millions of dollars last year into disruptive activist protests that blocked busy highways and destroyed famous artwork in cities across the world, according to tax filings obtained by Fox News Digital.
The Beverly Hills, California-based, Climate Emergency Fund (CEF) — which has been funded in large part by Hollywood actors and producers since it was founded in 2019 — raised $6.1 million in 2022, a 165% increase from the $2.3 million it raised in 2021, the tax filings showed. The sharp increase in funding led to CEF sending $5 million to left-wing protest groups, a 274% year-over-year increase.
“Climate Emergency Fund is proud to support some of the boldest, bravest climate activists in the world who are not just fighting but are winning,” Margaret Klein Salamon, CEF’s executive director, told Fox News Digital in a statement. “Throughout history, organized, passionate, and dedicated people have awakened the public’s conscience to injustice and achieved change that was once considered impossible.”
“That’s why the Climate Emergency Fund supports activist organizations that engage in non-violent protest and civil disobedience worldwide,” she said. “We are experiencing global catastrophic climate events, and they are accelerating – from the months-long summer heat waves in Europe to record-low levels of Antarctic sea ice to ocean temperatures that topped 100 degrees off the coast of Florida.”
BIDEN ADMIN QUIETLY DEVELOPING SETTLEMENT WITH GROUPS SEEKING TO TEAR DOWN KEY POWER SOURCE
Members of the U.K. activist group Just Stop Oil threw canned soup at Vincent van Gogh’s famous 1888 work “Sunflowers” at the National Gallery in London on Oct. 14, 2022. The group was the largest recipient of Climate Emergency Fund grants last year. (Just Stop Oil via AP)
Salamon added the evidence for action is “all around us” and that the world needs to race to zero emissions “as quickly as humanly possible.”
In CEF’s tax filings, the group stated that the activist organizations it supported last year “brought new life and vigor” to the climate movement. It further reported that its grantees trained more than 15,000 people, their protests included 47,000 people and their actions were covered by global media outlets 25,000 times.
The majority of CEF’s 2022 grants, approximately $4 million, were sent overseas, with the most sizable slice being wired to U.K. climate activists. The largest beneficiary of CEF’s funds appeared to be Just Stop Oil, a British activist group that has repeatedly made headlines for stopping traffic and disrupting public places across the U.K.
For example, members of Just Stop Oil made headlines late last year when they hurled tomato soup on a famous Vincent van Gogh painting at London’s National Gallery. Days earlier, dozens of its members blocked emergency service vehicles, including an ambulance, from driving to their destination during a separate protest.
“Human creativity and brilliance is on show in this gallery, yet our heritage is being destroyed by our Government’s failure to act on the climate and cost of living crisis,” Just Stop Oil said in a statement after the tomato soup protest.
Just Stop Oil activists attacked Diego Velázquez’s 17th-century painting “Rokeby Venus” with hammers at London’s National Gallery. (Just Stop Oil)
CEF sent an additional $800,000 to other global groups like the France-based Dernière Rénovation, the Canada-based Save Old Growth and the Italy-based Ultima Generazione, all of which staged disruptive protests in 2022.
In the U.S., CEF signed grants worth $1 million to domestic groups that have used similar tactics as Just Stop Oil and called for President Biden to declare a “climate emergency.” The largest domestic grant appeared to be a $206,000 wire to the National Institute for Peer Support, which was earmarked for the group Extinction Rebellion.
While Biden has focused much of his presidency on combating climate change, he has yet to formally declare it a national emergency. A climate emergency declaration would enable Biden to bypass Congress and take a number of regulatory steps not normally authorized to the White House.
“The environmental activist left is not an organic movement,” Daniel Turner, the founder and executive director of Power The Future, told Fox News Digital in an interview. “Their activism is well-thought-out and centrally planned, they have signs and T-shirts — someone is paying for all of that, it is orchestrated.”
“You may find some young people who are enthusiastic about the cause, but a lot of their authenticity comes into question when you realize it’s being paid for by people who don’t want their fingerprints on the project themselves,” Turner said. “Once you realize that it’s not organic, that it is paid activism and paid indignation and paid anger, well, then you realize the whole thing is just an enormous farce.”
Hollywood’s Jeremy Strong, left, Adam McKay, center, and Chelsea Handler made donations to the Climate Emergency Fund, according to the group’s annual 2022 financial audit. (Getty Images)
According to the tax filing, CEF received more than 50 individual anonymous contributions worth thousands of dollars each. More than 10 were worth more than $100,000, with the largest contribution exceeding $1.2 million and two more exceeding $500,000 each.
Since it was created, the group has garnered contributions from high-profile Hollywood figures such as actors Jeremy Strong, Chelsea Handler and Thomas Middleditch, Walt Disney heir and filmmaker Abigail Disney, and director Adam McKay, who serves on the group’s board. Democrat New York Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez’s political action committee, Courage to Change, and former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton’s nonprofit, Onward Together, have also donated tens of thousands of dollars to CEF.
Nonprofits aren’t legally required to report the identities of their donors, allowing CEF’s contributors to remain anonymous. However, in its annual report, CEF lists numerous donors, including Strong, Handler, Middleditch, Disney and McKay.
And, in addition to McKay, CEF’s board of directors includes Aileen Getty, the granddaughter of the Getty Oil founder, and Rory Kennedy, the daughter of former U.S. Attorney General Robert F. Kennedy.
Art
Calvin Lucyshyn: Vancouver Island Art Dealer Faces Fraud Charges After Police Seize Millions in Artwork
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.
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Ukrainian sells art in Essex while stuck in a warzone BBC.com
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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.
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