Art

Downtown Art Alley unveiled – Windsor Star

Published

2 years ago

May 26, 2022

Harry Miller

Publishing date:

May 26, 2022 • 53 minutes ago • 3 minute read • Join the conversation

MP Irek Kuzmierczyk speaks during the unveiling of phase one of Art Alley, located north of Maiden Lane, between Pelissier Street and Ouellette Avenue, on Thursday, May 27, 2022. Photo by Dax Melmer /Windsor Star

An expanded art space, illuminated by colourful overhead lanterns and lush hanging flower baskets, now greets visitors to what was a dark, dingy alley behind the Pelissier Street parking garage.

Officially unveiled Thursday, Art Alley is a vibrant, colourful public space that its creator, the Downtown Windsor Business Revitalization Association, hopes will attract visitors to the city core.

With support from the Downtown Windsor Business Improvement Association, the Downtown Districting Committee, the City of Windsor and partner contractors, and $25,000 from the federal government’s Healthy Communities Initiative, the laneway transformed into an outdoor art gallery.

“On behalf of the Downtown Windsor Business Revitalization Association, I cannot express how delighted we are to unveil one of the most exciting, innovative and collaborative projects the board has ever seen,” said Pat Papadeas, vice-chairwoman of the DBRWA board of directors.

Public spaces like this one are glue in our communities

These works encompass significant art installations in the core and include graffiti art installations and the magnificent lampshade art installation dreamed up, developed and dedicated by some of the region’s finest artists.”

Art in the air: Phase one of Art Alley, located north of Maiden Lane, between Pelissier Street and Ouellette Avenue, is unveiled during a press event highlighting the $794,000 in funding provided to projects as part of the Canada Healthy Communities Initiative, on Thursday, May 27, 2022. Photo by Dax Melmer /Windsor Star

Papadeas credited artists Julia Hall, Kiki Simone, Talysha Bujold-Abu, Tony Castro, Ostoro Petahtegoose and graffiti artist DERKZ, for the dazzling display.

“Public spaces like this one are glue in our communities,” said Richard Wyma, chairman of the WindsorEssex Community Foundation board of directors. “They enable a feeling of belonging and social cohesion.

“They’re a big part of what makes community’s safe and vibrant and connected.”

Wyma said the WindsorEssex Community Foundation worked alongside community foundations from across southwestern Ontario to determine recipients of $794,000 as part of the second round of the Canada Healthy Communities Initiative.

Seven local projects shared $165,000.

Wyma said funding was allocated to projects in three overall categories — safe and vibrant public spaces, improved mobility options and digital solutions.

The other local recipients include Bike Windsor Essex for its Safe Windsor Cycling program, CJAM FM student media to support its technology lending library program, the Downtown Windsor Business Accelerator supporting its development of the accelerator community patio, Essex County Library supporting its library book bike and mobile information kiosk program, the Polish People’s Home Association supporting the creation and transformation of an eco-friendly pavilion for safe gatherings and the Rotary Club of Windsor 1918 for Windsor Essex Rainbow Alliance supporting the re-development and enhancement of Lanspeary Park.

Art Alley was made possible in part thanks to the $794,000 in funding provided to projects as part of the Canada Healthy Communities Initiative, on Thursday, May 27, 2022. The Downtown Windsor Business Revitalization Association’s Art Alley is one of the projects funded through the initiative. Photo by Dax Melmer /Windsor Star

Windsor-Tecumseh MP Irek Kusmierczyk said the goal of the fund is to bring the community and community partners together.

“Wow, this is absolutely incredible,” Kusmierczyk said. “Look at this. This is an absolutely incredible transformation.

“And it takes a little bit of vision, it takes a little bit of hard work. And it also takes collaboration and partnerships and this is the end result.”

Ward 3 councillor Rino Bortolin was praised by both Papadeas and Kusmierczyk for his tireless work to improve the downtown area and especially to bring out the potential of the city’s alleys.

“There’s been no bigger, better champion for downtown than Rino Bortolin,” Kusmierczyk said. “I wanted to thank you Coun. Bortolin for your vision, your steadfast advocacy.”

Thursday’s reveal was just the first phase of the development of Art Alley, according to Papadeas, who hinted that another announcement will soon be coming regarding the newly updated space.

“This is not scientific, but our sense is that 80 per cent of any issues we have downtown will actually solve themselves by people being down here,” she said. “People moving, people walking, people shopping, people sitting around and enjoying the day.

“This is a welcoming space and this is for the community.”

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Art

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

Published

3 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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Art

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.