Paper magazine cofounder Kim Hastreiter was one of the many sworn New Yorkers disoriented at the onset of COVID-19 lockdowns — suddenly marooned in a socially distanced bubble in a place where socialization had been a “constant” in daily life. This isolation, she found, was too much of a hindrance to even double down on creative tasks that once brought her joy.
But rather than face defeat, Hastreiter, who sold her stake in Paper more than three years ago and is no longer affiliated with the publication, decided to channel those emotions into a community project. On Jan. 31 she released “The New Now,” which she describes as a “public art project” and a “historical document of our time,” that comes in newspaper form.
The free broadsheet, which proudly states on its cover that it’s “free of advertising and “free of the internet,” is being handed out at New York City establishments including The Odeon, Café Altro Paradiso, Dover Street Market, Screaming Mimi’s and Dashwood Books, among other locales.
Its spreads are reminiscent of evenings spent outside one’s apartment, particularly at casual watering holes that drew a revolving door of zeitgeist-makers and creative minds. While these personalities no longer stew together in person, The New Now shows that they can assemble on the printed page.
While this camaraderie is currently reserved for its pages, Hastreiter sees it as a reminder of what will eventually be reborn in the flesh. “I did this for the sake of not making people feel so alone and cut off from everything and everyone,” she said.
Kim Hastreiter’s public art project newspaper, The New Now. Courtesy
“The New Now is a simple black-and-white newsprint broadsheet meant to share some inspiration, ideas, views, coping mechanisms and imaginative workarounds of some of my favorite creative New Yorkers during this weird interstitial slice of time. The New Now is not a real business or a commercial product.…It can also, I hope, act as a public service to brighten spirits and drop some inspiration into the air of our city as well as serve as an historical document of this overwhelming, still undefined time we are all witnessing,” Hastreiter wrote in her editor’s letter.
The New Now’s assortment of stories recalls the randomness of errant conversation. LCD Soundsystem’s James Murphy writes about fishing, his newfound COVID-19 hobby; Hastreiter engages John Waters on the state of print and Michael Stipe about the concept of time; designer and sculptor Ted Muehling writes about his heightened appreciation for nature; former French Vogue editor in chief Joan Juliet Buck discloses an entry from her COVID diary, and designer Aurora James and model Bethann Hardison speak on matters of generational opinion and what it’s like to be Black women today.
There’s a full spread of soup recipes from chefs including Ingnacio Mattos, Daniela Soto Innes and Laila Gohar that sit beside illustrations by Ruben Toledo and Alba Clemente. Hastreiter said that it was important for The New Now to be a “multigenerational” project and, therefore, its contributors span ages 5 to 87.
None of their work will be available to read online — a stipulation that Hastreiter promised each contributor, who like many, are spending a disproportionate amount of time on their digital devices. She’s printed a first run of 6,000 copies and says that in an “ideal” world, The New Now will be a four-part series. While this first project is focused on New York, Hastreiter wants to widen its scope, with future imprints focusing on the U.S., then the world and the galaxy. She’s currently working on a video component with Dover Street Market in time for the New York Art Book Fair, scheduled in a virtual format for the end of this month.
But why would a former magazine editor who’s currently working on half a dozen books pseudo-reenter the media ring with a concept that brings no revenue? “I’m old enough that I see young people who didn’t live though the ’80s write about it and they don’t get it right,” said Hastreiter.
“I’m a believer in bearing witness and documenting what happened. I see stories getting morphed all the time now and I think it’s important for this era, whatever it will be called, to be documented. It’s not like 9-11, AIDS or anything I’ve experienced because those were events, but this is so abstract and has so many layers and keeps going. It’s history we are experiencing and this is to bear witness to that.”
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.
