Art

New director of Bern's main art space wants to start a conversation – SWI swissinfo.ch in English

Published

2 years ago

July 10, 2022

Kabelo Malatsie will run the Kunsthalle Bern for the next seven years. George Mahashe

In May, South African curator Kabelo Malatsie arrived in Switzerland to run one of Bern’s main art institutions, the Kunsthalle. SWI swissinfo.ch met her to talk about her concept of curating and what she thinks should change in the art world.

This content was published on July 10, 2022 – 10:00

Aoife Rosenmeyer

The appointment of South African curator Kabelo Malatsie to succeed Valérie Kroll as head of the Kunsthalle was intriguing. Not only is she the first non-European to head a public Swiss art institution, the former Johannesburg resident also followed an unusual career path.

Malatsie first studied marketing management before moving to art history and ultimately curating. She began her professional life in the arts as acting director of the Stevenson in Cape Town, a commercial gallery, before bringing her expertise to an artists’ rights organisation. She is best known curatorially for her work within the Yokohama Triennial 2020 (Japan). She was asked by the curators of the Raqs Media Collective, Michelle Wong and Lantian Xie, to curate a discrete and complex programme called Deliberations on Discursive Justice.

Her appointment as the new head of the Kunsthalle – an art space without a permanent collection – is part of the institution’s long disruptive tradition. In the 1960s, it was the epicentre of radical experiments led by its head Harald Szeemann – which eventually cost him his job. Decades later, in 2015, the Kunsthalle appointed a woman for the first time to head the institution, Valérie Knoll. Malatsie, as a non-European, brings to Bern a new perspective on what curating and art spaces can mean.

Valérie Knoll was the first woman director of the Kunsthalle Bern; Malatsie is the first non-European. Florian Bachmann

SWI swissinfo.ch: You’ve scarcely had time to unpack your bags. How do you intend to explore the city of Bern and its arts scene?

Kabelo Malatsie: I’m letting people who have been working in this space and who live in Bern help me navigate it. I will be walking a lot.

SWI: In the art world, the Kunsthalle Bern is known for experimentation in the contemporary field; nonetheless, Bern is quite conservative. How do you perceive your audience?

K.M.: To be truthful, I haven’t yet met the audience. It would be disingenuous for me to say that I’m going to curate with the audience in mind. My approach is to do shows that I’m interested in and hope that this will generate conversations. This is what I’m interested in: having a platform for ideas and a more dialogic approach to curatorial practice rather than ‘I’ll show you something that is finished and closed’, closing off any potential for feedback and conversation.

The other thing that I’m interested in is working with young people, especially for them to challenge the Kunsthalle. Even though it’s known for experimentation, I’m sure it’s now old and institutional, and [this condition] can stifle critique.

SWI: What was the appeal for you to work in the Kunsthalle?

K.M.: It’s somewhat of an empty container; it has no permanent collection and as a director, it comes down to your own curatorial interest to fill the space. Though we will be working with artists over a relatively short time, it would be great if we can define working models we can test out together, and that artists can take with them in their future work.

SWI: You once remarked that your early conception of curating was putting objects on walls. How has that concept expanded since?

K.M.: At the beginning of my understanding of curatorial practice I was thinking more along museum curating, which can be very conservative. Now I think that even administrative work can be curatorial. One can think about Excel spreadsheets creatively, and go beyond balancing money; we can think of different resources that go into making an exhibition.

When you’re doing a project you start ambitiously, conceptually, then the concept starts sinking when day-to-day issues take over. I’m hoping that, as the administrator, I can encourage a working practice where the conceptual stakes are always high and I am not reducing concepts and getting bogged down by practicalities.

The Kunsthalle Bern was the most radical art space in Switzerland during the 1960s. During the exhibition When Attitudes Become Form in 1969, the art expanded on to the street, literally breaking the pavement. Keystone / Str

SWI: How would you define an art space?

K.M.: Creativity is everywhere. Space for art is everywhere. I read an interview a long time ago where [Brazilian artist] Paulo Nazareth said that even if he stopped making art objects and was a fisherman, he would still be an artist as a fisherman. The curatorial practice can go into multiple directions.

SWI: I can understand your perspective, but is a gallery, or a museum, still the privileged space for art?

K.M.: There’s the old-fashioned Western way of doing things: things are [categorised] in neat boxes. This is where we have art, this is where we have medicine and so on. (When I mean Western, I mean colonised places as well.) So, in South Africa things are in boxes, too, more so in formal institutions.

For me these boundaries are no longer important, so long as what you’re doing makes sense. A good example is Stephen Alexander, a physicist and a jazz musician; you can be thinking about scientific questions whilst doing an artistic activity. So, I am not really caught up in defining what is curating, or what is art.

SWI: I guess we’ll have to see what happens in the Kunsthalle…

K.M.: There will be art objects, there’ll be performances. There are a set of questions that I’m trying to answer with each exhibition. Each work will be trying, not to answer, but to grapple with a question that I have.

SWI: For many art institutions and galleries Covid-19 meant slowing down and a refocusing on how exhibitions are produced and mediated. Did this affect your thinking?

K.M.: When museum and exhibition spaces were closed, the art world was putting their artworks online, and there was nostalgia for being in a physical exhibition space. And I was thinking back to the conceptual art of the ‘60s and ‘70s and how the idea was more important than the object. The idea of moving from the fixation with the art object, into a space of ideas, hasn’t really evolved since.

If we are closing galleries and exhibition spaces, then the ideas should really be able to live on. There was this dissonance around the art object’s importance and that the object carries ideas beyond the fact that it is an object. Some of the online interventions were trying to recreate the exhibition space. I felt like we were missing an opportunity to push the idea introduced by conceptual artists many years ago.

Whereas the music scene has always been able to adapt to every technological change without losing its essence. Art, on the other hand, seems stuck technologically, it doesn’t move.

SWI: I fear that it is hampered by the market.

K.M.: Yes, but the thing about the market is that it’s such a small group of people.

SWI: But it’s often the way that art gets in the public eye.

K.M.: We need to find a way out, no? Otherwise, we have to accept that things don’t move.

Edited by Eduardo Simantob

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

Published

4 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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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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