I recently went to The Rooms in St. John’s, to see a new exhibition I had been looking forward to viewing, called Helping Hands: 30 Years at Kinngait Studios.
Master printmaker William Ritchie kept a copy of every print he worked on at the studio in Nunavut. His donation of nearly 400 prints — by dozens of Inuit artists — is one of the largest and most significant ever made to The Rooms, the cultural complex that houses Newfoundland and Labrador’s provincial gallery, museum and archives.
I’m both an international student and an art lover, so viewing this exhibition was a chance to educate myself — to learn the different stories these prints illustrate, and the unique culture they showcase.
It was an informative, inspiring and culturally rich experience, one that pushed me to do my own research, especially on the avataq, which is a sealskin float.
The uniqueness of the display stood out to me. It inspired me to have meaningful conversations about seal hunting, to read about the whales in the Kinngait community, to unlearn and relearn the region’s Inuit culture, and to share what I have gathered with my family and close friends.
If you have not seen the exhibition yet, I hope you do.
Bird’s Eye view, by Ningiukulu Teevee, depicts an aerial view of a pod of beluga whales. (Zach Goudie/CBC)
It expresses contemporary Inuit identity and everyday reality, which is an educational creative work as well as an opportunity to support and share the beautiful messages of the artists.
Two pieces that really spoke to me were Bird’s Eye View and Helping Hands.
They paint a vivid picture of the Kinngait community and the teamwork consolidated within Kinngait Studios. Bird’s Eye View illustrates an aerial view of a pod of whales. It’s an abstract composition, showing the perspective of something flying above the whales. The main element of the artwork — the pod of whales — explains to viewers the Kinngait community is a whaling community, where you can spot belugas coming into the harbour during the fall.
From this artwork, I learned the Kinngait landscape is dotted with beluga whales from which the artist has drawn inspiration. I feel that it also highlights how symbolic, representative and culturally important beluga whales are for the artist to capture the scenery.
The Helping Hands piece, by Papiara Tukiki Niviaksie Quvianaqtuliaq, depicts hands stretching forward in the same direction, outlining the many hands that make up Kinngait Studios. (Zach Goudie/CBC)
Likewise, the Helping Hands piece showcases many hands stretching forward in the same direction, outlining the many hands that make the Kinngait Studios. Although an experimental composition, to me it portrays the genuine solidarity among the artists and the due recognition and celebration of everyone’s contributions at the Kinngait Studios.
Finally, Avataq — an installation of 18 handmade foil, helium balloons resembling an avataq — was another powerful highlight.
It not only celebrates the region’s Inuit culture but also creates the focus on meaningful conversations about the seal hunt, the international ban on products made of sealskin and the destructive effects of the ban on livelihoods in the North.
The Atavaq installation is part of the Helping Hands: 30 Years at Kinngait Studios exhibit at The Rooms. (Submitted by The Rooms)
The installation tells the story of seal hunting, and the swaying balloons bring the activity to life: the flipper-like limbs, the screen-printed sealskin texture, the inflated balloon symbolic of the hunter’s breath inside the full skin of the animal, the strings symbolizing harpoons, which the hunter uses to catch their prey and track it through water once harpooned.
The details, the symbolism and the metaphorical, lifelike-yet-inviting depiction of the seal hunt through simple materials imparts the knowledge of the traditional and cultural seal hunt that is an integral element of the Inuit way of life and voices out how education is crucial to understand the impact of the ban by learning how seals are a food source, clothing source such as boots and mittens as well as an important income to the Inuit community.
One wall is dominated by a telling quote: “I have always wished I could be paid more for the things I make to sell that were valuable in our traditional culture. I would like to be able to make money from selling things I can make out of caribou and sealskins instead of selling the drawings I make about those things,” wrote artist Mayoreak Ashoona.
A quote from Inuit artist Mayoreak Ashoona adorns a wall at the Helping Hands exhibit. (Zach Goudie/CBC)
This exhibition provided me with the platform to a bigger picture and new educational information and resources that I otherwise would have most likely not come across.
Unlearning and relearning or simply educating ourselves on the rich Indigenous culture and traditions is necessary.
It raises awareness, motivates to take actions, acknowledges and encourages conversations on the legacy, culture, traditions, history, current and past barriers, and keeps the survival and meaningful transmission of this knowledge vividly alive and loud instead of suppressed and attacked.
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.
