Summer Collections Assistant Nicholas Markowski curated the current project space exhibit featuring seven artworks by Pamela Burrill. (Jayda Taylor/Daily Herald)
The Mann Art Gallery is giving a young, up-and-coming art historian the unique opportunity to curate a permanent collection show.
This is Nicholas Markowski’s second year there as a summer student. He’s currently working towards a double major in history and art history at the University of Toronto.
The gallery had originally slated to display work from Pamela Burrill in November. However, because of its temporary closure for a few months because of COVID-19, staff decided to bump the show up to correspond with the exhibit currently in the main gallery.
“It’s very exciting. It was sort of an unexpected opportunity,” said Markowski.
“I’m really grateful for the opportunity to develop my skills in this sort of job position.”
The curatorial process consisted of looking at images of Burrill’s work before pulling out the physical pieces to see how they mesh together. Markowski decided to display seven of her artworks alternating between sizes, keeping a subtle gradient of colour in mind. He also wrote a curator’s statement.
Registrar Tia Furstenberg hung and lit the pieces.
Pamela Burrill was born in Britain, but lived in Saskatchewan in the late 20th century. She immigrated to Canada following her studies in geography in London, and then travelled to various countries including North Africa, Ireland and Australia.
Burrill completed her bachelor’s and master’s degrees in fine arts at the University of Saskatchewan, holding an exhibit at the Mann Art Gallery in 1996. She passed away in 2001.
Part of Markowski’s responsibilities in curating the show is researching Burrill to share with the wider community.
Pamela Burrill: Motion & Gesture is currently on display in the gallery’s project space. In the main gallery is Migration and Transformation, a show by a trioof artistsexploring movement of diseases, animals and humans.
“Basically, we wanted a show to go in here that kind of corresponded to the themes of the main exhibition gallery, but also demonstrated the breadth of Pamela’s work,” explained Markowski.
“So I went through our pieces by her and chose the ones that I thought were thematically coherent with the theme in there, and also just best represented her work.”
Burrill primarily painted landscapes, he said, but in a very abstract way. The paintings of water and clouds, for example, work well with the theme of inevitable movement in the main gallery exhibit.
According to Acting Director/Curator Lana Wilson, the idea of handing a curatorial role to a summer student originated with the Mac Hone exhibit in the John V. Hicks Gallery in January.
That show was curated by a longtime volunteer, Russ Mode. The exhibit originally slated for that time wasn’t feasible because of the large sizes of the artworks, so Mode—who knew Hone—stepped up with a new idea.
“There was an opportunity for a community member to curate, and so I would say that that experience, as well as Nicholas’ knowledge, made me feel confident in giving him the opportunity,” said Wilson.
Normally, the process of curating a show takes months. Markowski, however, pulled it off in a matter of days.
“It was very gratifying for me as a director/curator to be able to give the staff such leeway and really see them rise to the challenge as I knew that they could. It makes me really proud,” emphasized Wilson.
Markowski is also in the process of putting images of Burrill’s pieces online. That’s something that Furstenberg said they’re hoping to do more of, not just because of the pandemic, but to make art that much more accessible.
“This is exhibit is going to be sort of the first one to make an appearance and we’re in the process of putting more artists and their artworks on the website,” she said.
Furstenerg, a recent bachelor of fine arts graduate, was also happy to see Markowski taking on a new role.
“We’ve been trying to give him projects that help him grow to new experiences, and so I think this really helps and ties that all in.”
Pamela Burrill: Motion & Gesture is on display until August 22.
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.
