Art

Jamie Reid’s Sex Pistols artwork was a glorious assault on authority

Published

1 year ago

August 10, 2023

Jamie Reid had a premonition of punk years before it hit. His 1972 painting Monster on a Nice Roof portrays a giant green beast perched on the roof of a suburban home as broiling storm clouds gather above: it seems in retrospect to foretell the monster that was punk.

What exactly happened to Britain in 1977 – when Reid’s cover for the Sex Pistols’ single God Save the Queen covered Elizabeth II’s eyes with the title in cut out lettering and her mouth with the band’s name – has been amply picked over by cultural theorists and pop historians. It has been seen as anything from a raw blast of working-class honesty (the interpretation favoured by John Lydon) to an apocalyptic consummation of the most radical ideas of the 20th-century avant garde.

Whatever it was, it was real, for a moment, and created a truly wild atmosphere of violence and revolt. My dad, who was vice principal of a Welsh sixth form college, told me he warned a lad that if he didn’t take the safety pin out of his ear he’d pull it out. I knew I’d never be able to smuggle the Sex Pistols album into the house, largely because Reid plastered Never Mind the Bollocks Here’s the Sex Pistols in luridly screaming pink and black on its bright yellow sleeve, which in those vinyl days was a surface 31.4cm sq. Unhideable.

Looking back, my entire adolescent record collection may have been an effort to purchase Never Mind the Bollocks by other means, which, by Freud’s theory of repression breeding perversion, led to the far more decadent delights of the Velvet Underground.

So the first and crucial thing to be said about Reid’s art is that he knew how to be crude. He responded to the raucous riot of the Pistols’ music with designs like a V sign, the cover art equivalent of “come and get me, copper!”, which the coppers promptly did when they raided a record shop in Nottingham for displaying the cover.

Reid retained that capacity for calculated crudeness. His poster Free Pussy Riot, created to support the Russian feminist punks after the 2012 conviction of three of them for “sacrilegious hooliganism”, portrays Vladimir Putin in a black balaclava wearing lipstick: in Reid’s never mind the bollocks lettering it declares: “Putin says he’s seen the light / And he sold his soul for punk.” Reid’s gender bending onslaught on Putin and his fascist regime has even more urgency now – and it shows how seriously he took punk, believing it a genuine revolutionary force, whether aimed at a sclerotic British establishment or Putin’s bigoted diktat.

Sex Pistols themselves have labelled God Save the Queen as “camp” yet Reid’s travesty of her face has deadly intent, like his unmanning of the consciously manly Putin. He actually did want to live in anarchy. And he learned his anarchy from art, or rather anti-art.

Reports on his death have trotted out comparisons of his lettering with a “ransom note”, as if he was one of the Great Train Robbers. But its actual origins can be found in dadaism, the art movement created by a handful of German youths evading the first world war draft in Switzerland. They called it “dada” because it was babyish, primitive, incoherent, an attack on art itself, on the fake civilised ideals of the Europe that was mincing its young in trench warfare. In Berlin in 1919, dada crossbred with Marxist revolution in cut-up images and texts including those of the great collagist Hannah Höch. She not only chopped up and mutated images of politicians, just as Reid would rearrange the Queen’s face, but pasted in words hacked out of newspapers. This criminal looking dada aggression was also pioneered by her comrades George Grosz, Raoul Hausmann and John Heartfield.

If Reid made his aesthetic seem innocently raw and spontaneous, a threat from the gutter, this was a brilliant obscuring. For it resurrects the manic anti-art that was dada. Amazingly, those British authority figures goaded to swear back at the Pistols, raid record shops or threaten to pull safety pins from kids’ ears were reacting to a restatement, at least in Reid’s art, of the original subversive dada cabaret.

Can art change the world? Reid made you believe it can.

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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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