Would this artwork cry with you? Would you introduce it to your parents? Would you whisper “everything will be okay” to it?
Jasper Francis Cropsey
Does this painting have unspoken courage? Does it listen to achy music? Did it have its heart broken long ago, and has been a little different ever since?
These questions are prompts intended to connect people with this artwork in a counterintuitive way. This exercise practices guided disorientation as a method of inspiring transformative thinking, a process introduced to me by my colleague, Evguenia S. Popova, PhD, OTR/L, at Rush University. If you shake up someone’s intuitive thinking process with something counterintuitive, you can help them open a previously unconsidered doorway for seeing. On the surface, asking if a painting listens to achy music may seem silly. But if one looks closely, allowing the question to set the terms by which they encounter the artwork, new truths will be revealed.
This is a tool we have used in our civic wellness programs, which are collaborations with partners in hospitals and medical schools, as well as individuals working in allied fields such as law. One thing an emergency room doctor and an Illinois judge have in common is that they both frequently come into contact with vulnerable Chicagoans from a position of expertise and authority.
Our medical students have been surprisingly good at this. When two of them, responding to the prompt, said this painting had its heart broken long ago and has been a little different ever since, I felt like I was seeing the image for the first time. My experience of the painting has been permanently altered. Permanently enhanced. The new truth is there and cannot be denied: the forlorn tree bent with disaster, lonely and weeping at the edge of a darkness it will never be free of.
I know what it’s like to be heartbroken. I want to be with that tree. I want to repair its broken heart.
This is a profound example of a new kind of question unlocking valuable qualities that had existed in the painting all along. Students must then consider how they can translate this way of seeing to a patient or client. How can they unlock the truths in another person, especially someone who may not look or act like themselves?
For another exercise, we ask participants to take three minutes to write the most objective statement possible describing the image below.
Ivan Albright
Once each participant has written their statement, we put them into groups and ask them to write a new objective statement that the whole group can agree on. Most statements sound something like this: “An individual is sitting in a room that is partly dark and partly bright with a piece of furniture in it.” Or something equally broad. The vast majority of groups will avoid any kind of “feelings” language, trying with all their might to stick to neutral vocabulary that most people can get on board with. However, when they are told to stop worrying about being objective, the flood gates open and we start hearing words like “sad,” “longing,” and “lonely.” The question is: Why?
We do not attempt to answer this question definitively. Instead we discuss some of the various dynamics that contribute to our concept of objective reality and think critically about the pitfalls of those dynamics. How does implicit bias impact what we perceive as objective? What about peer pressure or the fear of looking unprofessional or of being wrong? When can we consider information gained through emotional intelligence objectively true? When does the courage of conviction come into play? And most importantly, how does all of this inform the way we interact with others, in particular those who may be in our care?
Innovative programs such as ours have proliferated along with the studies showing that engaging with the humanities increases not only observational, collaborative, and critical thinking skills, but also one’s ability to think empathically and connect thoughtfully with others, what occupational therapists call non-technical skills (NTS). Furthermore, empathic thinking is a cornerstone of anti-racist, equitable, compassionate decision-making, a crucial quality for anyone, and especially for those in medicine, law, and policing.
We are creating new civic wellness programs like these all the time. The activities and conversations we lead are inspired by conversations with our partners in the field. There is no one-size-fits-all approach, because no two groups are exactly alike. Working collaboratively with doctors, law enforcement, administrators, educators, researchers, and others allows us to learn continuously, and to develop programs that effectively contribute to the training of those unique professionals whose work has a powerful—often immediate—impact on their communities.
I’d like to leave you with one more artwork.
Archibald John Motley Jr.
Does this artwork have insomnia? Is it haunted? Is it your soulmate?
—Sam Ramos, director of Gallery Activation, Interpretation
Author’s note: These questions are taken from a much longer list generated by myself and my colleague and spouse, Maura Flood, associate director of Creative Spaces, and published in Wicked Arts Assignments (2020) as “Who Is Your Soulmate?”
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.
