Art

Ibrahim Mahama and the art of resurrection – The Economist

Published

3 years ago

October 11, 2021

Entering the White Cube gallery in London, visitors can hear the whirr of busy machinery. It is not difficult to locate the source of the noise: 100 vintage sewing machines have been lovingly restored and mounted on wooden school desks. A mix of Singer and Butterfly models, they come to life in groups, with those that have needles stitching invisible cloth.

“Capital Corpses” (2019-21, pictured) is the work of Ibrahim Mahama, a Ghanaian artist best-known for large-scale patchworks of jute sacks. Made in south-east Asia, jute sacks are used in Ghana to transport cocoa beans. When the cocoa is emptied into containers for export, the sacks are used by maize and rice traders and, finally, for transporting charcoal. An earlier generation of Ghanaian artists used fresh, clean jute sacks as their canvas. Mr Mahama prefers old ones that hint at their past. “My interest was in the character, the history and the politics,” he says. Through these works he invites the viewer to ponder his country’s place in the world economy, both historically and today.

Mr Mahama, 34, has moved on from jute sacks, but as “Lazarus”, the title of his new show, suggests, he is no less interested in reviving ghosts and resurrecting the dead. Aside from the sewing machines (which allude to the way many women, having been failed by Ghana’s education system, earn a living), the focus is on Nkrumah Voli-ni, a derelict grain silo the artist acquired in his home city of Tamale, afterwards breathing new life into it as a cultural centre.

The silo is one of a number built in the heady optimism of the independence era and left to rot after Kwame Nkrumah, Ghana’s first president, was deposed in a coup in 1966. Rumours suggested that Nkrumah had intended them as prisons or was building tunnels to link them to Accra, the capital. “My father’s generation grew up with the myth that these buildings were a place of doom,” Mr Mahama says.

A short film couples the laborious task of resurrecting Voli-ni with the patient craftsmanship of restoring the sewing machines. Along with bucket after bucket of sludge, out went snakes, frogs and their fossilised remains, but the resident bats remain: photographed and flipped from their hanging position to stand upright, they are comical equivalents of saints in a baroque frieze. The bats are pictured in beautiful collages made from colonial-era maps and bank records, and commercial invoices from the post-independence years.

Mr Mahama’s arrival at Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology’s college of art in 2006 coincided with that of a group of radical young professors, most notably Kari’kacha Seid’ou, who was eager for his students to address the inequalities of both the art world and the world at large. He taught them to draw and paint, but texts by Walter Benjamin, Karl Marx and Jacques Rancière were the starting point of any discussion. “In most art schools, students are trained to produce for the market,” Mr Mahama says. “For us it was more about producing work that would somehow change the relationship between art and the market—and create new forms of the market in the future.”

Collaboration was encouraged and exhibitions could happen anywhere, from cemeteries to warehouses, factories to marketplaces, even buses. Mr Mahama stayed on to do a doctorate and today he is part of blaxTARLINES KUMASI, a staff-student collective. Wearing that hat, he will have a collage included in “Ubuntu, a lucid dream”, a joint show which opens at the Palais de Tokyo in Paris in November. “Ubuntu”, a Bantu term suggesting reciprocity and interdependence, was popularised by Nelson Mandela, but before that it was an idea that underpinned pan-Africanism at the time of independence. “Ibrahim is playing a huge part in decolonising the imagination,” says Marie-Ann Yemsi, the exhibition’s curator. “It was natural for me to invite him to be in a show that speaks about the notion of building the world together.”

The Design Museum in London has commissioned Mr Mahama, too. For “Waste Age: What can design do?”, which opens on October 23rd, he has produced a wall of 40 televisions, retrieved, like the sewing machines, from Agbogbloshie, a scrapyard in Accra where much of Europe’s electronic waste is dumped, then coaxed back to life. The TVs will run films of their own repair, while copper frames made from their wiring highlight the precious minerals e-waste contains. What caught the eye of the curator, Gemma Curtin, was Mr Mahama’s “interest in the process of making things, the labour that goes into it and the impact of that process on people and place”.

From October 24th the artist will also have work on show at the Museum of Fine Arts in Houston. “Afro-Atlantic Histories”, an exhibition which will tour to Washington, Los Angeles and other American cities, will use a mix of fact and fable in the spirit of Portuguese historias to reclaim often buried stories of “the black Atlantic” and the nations involved in slavery. It will pair a jute work by Mr Mahama with an 18th-century Gobelins tapestry presenting idyllic images of plantation life. “Ibrahim’s work is a very important corrective to that idealised colonialist vision,” says Alison de Lima Greene, one of the curators.

Mr Mahama ploughs the profits from sales of his art back into cultural infrastructure projects in Ghana (Voli-ni is his third). He is proud of the fact that young Ghanaians are saying: “If this artist can do it with scrap materials, how much can we achieve?” Soon the galleries that want a piece of him may have to form a queue. ■

Ibrahim Mahama’s work is on display at White Cube, London, until November 7th; the Design Museum, London, from October 23rd to February 20th; Museum of Fine Arts, Houston, from October 24th to January 17th; and Palais de Tokyo, Paris, from November 26th to February 20th

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

Published

3 days 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.

Art

Ukrainian sells art in Essex while stuck in a warzone – BBC.com

Published

2 weeks ago

September 2, 2024

Harry Miller

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Ukrainian sells art in Essex while stuck in a warzone BBC.com

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Art

Somerset House Fire: Courtauld Gallery Reopens, Rest of Landmark Closed

Published

4 weeks ago

August 18, 2024

Harry Miller

The Courtauld Gallery at Somerset House has reopened its doors to the public after a fire swept through the historic building in central London. While the gallery has resumed operations, the rest of the iconic site remains closed “until further notice.”

On Saturday, approximately 125 firefighters were called to the scene to battle the blaze, which sent smoke billowing across the city. Fortunately, the fire occurred in a part of the building not housing valuable artworks, and no injuries were reported. Authorities are still investigating the cause of the fire.

Despite the disruption, art lovers queued outside the gallery before it reopened at 10:00 BST on Sunday. One visitor expressed his relief, saying, “I was sad to see the fire, but I’m relieved the art is safe.”

The Clark family, visiting London from Washington state, USA, had a unique perspective on the incident. While sightseeing on the London Eye, they watched as firefighters tackled the flames. Paul Clark, accompanied by his wife Jiorgia and their four children, shared their concern for the safety of the artwork inside Somerset House. “It was sad to see,” Mr. Clark told the BBC. As a fan of Vincent Van Gogh, he was particularly relieved to learn that the painter’s famous Self-Portrait with Bandaged Ear had not been affected by the fire.

Blaze in the West Wing

The fire broke out around midday on Saturday in the west wing of Somerset House, a section of the building primarily used for offices and storage. Jonathan Reekie, director of Somerset House Trust, assured the public that “no valuable artefacts or artworks” were located in that part of the building. By Sunday, fire engines were still stationed outside as investigations into the fire’s origin continued.

About Somerset House

Located on the Strand in central London, Somerset House is a prominent arts venue with a rich history dating back to the Georgian era. Built on the site of a former Tudor palace, the complex is known for its iconic courtyard and is home to the Courtauld Gallery. The gallery houses a prestigious collection from the Samuel Courtauld Trust, showcasing masterpieces from the Middle Ages to the 20th century. Among the notable works are pieces by impressionist legends such as Edouard Manet, Claude Monet, Paul Cézanne, and Vincent Van Gogh.

Somerset House regularly hosts cultural exhibitions and public events, including its popular winter ice skating sessions in the courtyard. However, for now, the venue remains partially closed as authorities ensure the safety of the site following the fire.

Art lovers and the Somerset House community can take solace in knowing that the invaluable collection remains unharmed, and the Courtauld Gallery continues to welcome visitors, offering a reprieve amid the disruption.

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