Art

Is Lithuania set to become the new centre of performance art?

Published

2 years ago

March 15, 2023

Lithuania may be a small country, but it has big ambitions when it comes to the art world. The Baltic state wants to position itself as the capital of performance art with a new biennial. The first edition of the Vilnius Biennial of Performance Art will take place this summer, with the capital city staging up to 40 performances in public spaces from parks and squares to tennis courts and cultural venues.

An open call for performance artists elicited 300 applications worldwide, with ten being chosen by an international jury. Another eight—yet to be named—artists have been chosen by the curators. The brief is to create site-specific performances related to the theme of the city. “I decided to focus on the city as human construct,” says the artistic director Neringa Bumblienė, “a place where different histories, myths, activities, interests, desires and visions overlap, coexist and collide.”

Until Lithuania regained its independence from the Soviet Union in 1990, most contemporary art happened underground with no institutional backing. Arts and literature under communism served as a useful outlet for political dissent but they had to be inventive to avoid the attention of the censors. “We have a history of performance art going back to the 1970s,” says Lolita Jablonskiene, the director of the National Gallery of Art in Vilnius. “These were often illegal actions in public spaces only seen by maybe ten friends, but they documented them.” Once the Soviet yoke was lifted, an explosion of creativity followed, giving rise to a dynamic and experimental art scene.

The idea of holding a biennial devoted to performance art came about after Lithuania won the Golden Lion at Venice in 2019 with Sun & Sea (Marina), an operatic art installation set on an artificial beach. With the audience looking down from above, 25 performers in swimsuits lounged on chairs and towels while singing. Put together by three women artists, Rugilė Barzdžiukaitė, Vaiva Grainytė and Lina Lapelytė, the lyrics gently reflect on the pollution of our seas and the changing climate. The 60-minute performance, which ran on an eight-hour loop, attracted long, snaking queues around the Lithuanian pavilion and later embarked on a successful world tour.

Women artists reflecting on the plight of our oceans turns out to be a bit of a theme running through Lithuanian performance art. One of the country’s best-known artists and filmmakers is Emilija Škarnulytė, who learned to scuba and free dive while studying in the Norwegian city of Tromsø, in the Arctic circle. She started collaborating with marine biologists, making lakes, rivers and oceans a theme in her work. Most of her films involve the artist swimming in a mermaid costume and then filming herself in the water using drones. It’s about linking the real world to the classical, mythological one.

For the biennial’s launch, Škarnulytė was given the run of the Lithuanian National Opera and Ballet Theatre, a striking Modernist building with a huge glass atrium. Using lights, lasers and large-format video projections with specially choreographed sound (including a live choir dressed in black hoods), she turned the entire building into a mesmerising underwater world with the chandeliers looking like huge jellyfish floating overhead. The video images were shot from a submarine 4km down in the very polluted Gulf of Mexico, capturing both sea life and man-made debris. CGI images of ruined buildings evoked a speculative future where rising water levels have submerged coastal cities.

The next day I meet the 36-year-old artist at the Radvila Palace Museum of Art in Vilnius, where she has another installation running throughout 2023. I lie in the dark next to her on a sun lounger, gazing up at images of Škarnulytė diving into the cold black waters around a disused Cold War submarine base in Norway. “That was super dangerous,” she says, chuckling as she watches herself. “I could have got hypothermia. Watching myself back, I’m scared. I could have done this in post-production but the location was important”. She sees her films as archaeological expeditions into the future, “to inaccessible places where there are no humans; only their artefacts remain”.

Škarnulytė’s next project involves filming in the Baltic Sea, one of the deadliest oceans in the world, full of Cold War debris and nuclear waste. “Here in the Baltics, geopolitics is always very present, particularly right now with the war in Ukraine, which is not far away,” she says. “In that way, I see myself a bit like a journalist or a documentary maker, making the invisible visible.”

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Art

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

Published

6 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

1 month 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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