What: Challenge Crisis with Creativity Where: Gage Gallery Arts Collective, 2031 Oak Bay Ave. When: June 23-27 Admission: Free (donations will be accepted)
An online showcase of local art inspired by COVID-19 will be given a second lease on life when the Gage Gallery Arts Collective re-opens the doors to its Oak Bay Avenue gallery today.
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Challenge Crisis With Creativity got underway in April as an online-only showcase, after plans for a traditional exhibit in March were scuttled due the city-wide shutdown.
Organizers were overwhelmed by response to the initiative, which was spread over 11 weeks. More than 300 pieces were created by 115 local artists, who took thematic cues from the gallery each week — from racism to thankfulness, based on what was happening at that time.
The project was a joint venture by the non-profit gallery and Ashley Riddett, who curated the exhibit with her fellow graduate students in the art history and visual studies program at the University of Victoria.
“The goal was to make people feel better and give them an outlet for their feelings,” said local artist Gabriela Hirt, a member of the collective that runs the gallery.
“But we had no idea if the [online gallery] would fly. It was interesting to find out that really happened. It seems like that goal was really achieved.”
The collective of artists behind the non-profit society has picked 47 pieces inspired by the crisis to display on the gallery walls through June 27, while the remainder of submissions created during the pandemic will be shown on a video slideshow running on a loop inside the gallery.
The artwork will be displayed thematically.
“The artists can come in and see the pieces, so everyone is included,” Hirt said. “This is a community exhibit, so we wanted to showcase everyone that participated.”
The gallery will be open from 11 a.m. until 5 p.m. each day during the exhibit, but only a limited number of visitors will be given access at one time. Physical distancing will be required, and guests will have to wear a mask before entering, Hirt said.
Stories by each artist will accompany their work. “I’m quite excited about this extra bit,” Hirt said.
“It’s where you’ll read the stories about who the artists are behind each piece and what it meant to them.”
Most of the artwork involves photography, oil, collage, pencil and watercolour, though knitting from one artist will be on display, Hirt said.
Participants range in age as well — 77-year-old artist David Trace made a number of stained-glass hearts, a symbol of support for frontline workers, in tandem with his eight-year-old grandson, Jonathan, a Grade 3 student.
Francine Klysen, who is participating, has a degree in visual arts from UVic but has not been able to fully pursue a career in art as her husband, who has Alzheimer’s, is in long-term care at Oak Bay Kiwanis Pavilion.
Challenge Crisis With Creativity gave her an opportunity to put what she learned in school into practice.
She has not been able to see her husband for 13 weeks, but has sold eight paintings inspired by the project, profits from which she donated back to Kiwanis Pavillion.
“I’ve never sold a single painting before,” Klysen said. “But it was my husband who said I should do this. Now, I’m painting every day.”
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.
