Art

Digging up hope for massive art below Portage and Main – Winnipeg Free Press

Published

8 months ago

March 8, 2024

For Bruce Head, the underground concourse at Portage and Main was a career-defining development.

The late Winnipeg artist created the massive concrete artwork covering the inner wall of the circular walkway. Now, his widow is worried about the future of the renowned public art piece if the plaza is decommissioned.

“It meant the world to him; it meant a vindication and recognition of his talent, skills and experience as an artist,” says Judy Waytiuk, Head’s partner of 33 years.

“The biggest chunk of his legacy will be literally buried underground.”

RUTH BONNEVILLE / FREE PRESS
Judy Waytiuk, Bruce Head’s partner of 33 years, is worried about the future of his 127-metre-long sculpture, curved along the concourse below Portage and Main. — RUTH BONNEVILLE / FREE PRESS

Judy Waytiuk, Bruce Head’s partner of 33 years, is worried about the future of his 127-metre-long sculpture, curved along the concourse below Portage and Main.

In the wake of Mayor Scott Gillingham’s proposal to reopen the city’s iconic intersection and close its underground concourse, Waytiuk has been seeking answers about the fate of the artwork.

The 127-metre-long geometric relief sculpture, entitled The Wall, is the longest in situ art piece in Canada. The installation was poured in place and is attached to the walls of the below-grade structure. Removing it would be a complicated endeavour. However, the closure of the concourse could leave it permanently hidden from public view.

“In an ideal situation, the concourse stays open and the artwork remains where it is; that’s where it was designed for. That’s where it was intended to be. But ideally the concourse stays open not just for that reason,” Waytiuk says.

During the city’s property and development committee meeting Thursday, possible options for salvaging the installation were discussed, including removal and relocation or recreating the piece elsewhere using 3D laser-imaging technology. Further consultation is needed before a decision is made.

Gillingham is open to looking into the issue.

“If (Bruce’s) work is going to be in peril, I would hope that there’s very clear and proper documentation of it, so the work itself and its heritage isn’t lost.”–Judy Waytiuk

“I want to have discussions with our staff, and with the Winnipeg Arts Council as well, and ask what could be done related to that piece of art,” he said during a media scrum.

“If there is a way to save it, I’d be very open to saving it.”

Head was a University of Manitoba art school graduate and longtime CBC graphic designer who rose to national acclaim for his colourful prints and paintings. He died in 2009.

In 1977, he won the commission to create a public art installation for the controversial, yet-to-be-constructed Portage and Main concourse. The project presented “design, engineering, architectural and public relations challenges,” owing to hostility surrounding the intersection’s closure, according to the catalogue for a major retrospective of Head’s career hosted at the Winnipeg Art Gallery.

The Wall is made of 52 poured and moulded concrete panels, many of which Head helped manufacture on-site over the course of two years. The work opened the door to new media and led the artist to a 30-year fascination with concrete sculpture work.

RUTH BONNEVILLE / FREE PRESS FILES
Local artist Bruce Head died in 2009. — RUTH BONNEVILLE / FREE PRESS FILES

Local artist Bruce Head died in 2009.

“It’s an important piece. It helps define that space. And it was a big piece — big pieces assume an importance and so do works that artists do as part of these public art commissions,” art historian and former Canadian senator Patricia Bovey says of The Wall.

Head’s piece was created at a time when public art was included in the budgets for new public buildings in Winnipeg. The city’s preliminary 2024 budget has completely cut funding for the Winnipeg Arts Council’s public art program.

Bovey has seen other public art pieces covered up or dismantled during redevelopment projects in Winnipeg and elsewhere.

“It’s a loss of the fabric of a community,” she says. “If (Bruce’s) work is going to be in peril, I would hope that there’s very clear and proper documentation of it, so the work itself and its heritage isn’t lost.”

— With files from Joyanne Pursaga

eva.wasney@winnipegfreepress.com

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A misspelled memorial to the Brontë sisters gets its dots back at last

Published

4 weeks ago

September 26, 2024

Anne Joseph

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.

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

Published

1 month 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.