That might be an easy question for some people. But for anyone who’s had to move across the world for a better life, there’s no easy answer.
An art installation in Fredericton featuring contributions from 127 artists who are immigrants or newcomers to the area doesn’t shy away from this tricky question.
The exhibit, hosted by the Multicultural Association of Fredericton, runs until Jan. 31 at Government House on Woodstock Road and is free to the public.
It features paintings, photography, sculpture, and textiles all focused on the question: what does home mean to you?
Alina Karmadanova, an artist originally from Irkutsk, Russia, was living in Shanghai when Russia invaded Ukraine.
After signing a letter against the war, she was summoned to the Russian consulate for a meeting, but declined. She now feels she cannot return home.
Karmadanova’s painting, titled ‘Propaganda: the beginning and the end’ explores the impact of propaganda. (Pat Richard/CBC)
“Since the Russian invasion in Ukraine, my feelings towards my home country and motherland became incredibly complex,” said Karmadanova, 30, who now lives in Fredericton and studies at NBCC.
Her piece in the show is a diptych, a painting made of two parts, called Propaganda: the beginning and the end.
“Propaganda kind of suggests to people a nice picture that will make them feel well,” Karmadanova said, adding that people targeted by propaganda might actually have a life of struggle.
“But they make this picture really attractive, so probably these bright colours is one of the ways to catch the attention and keep it and make people believe in something,” she said.
The meaning of ‘home’
Three newcomers create works of art around what home means to them — knowing they will probably never be able to return there.
Karmadanova said she feels like she’s lost her real home, and that she does not belong anywhere right now – though some aspects of life in Fredericton are comforting and familiar.
“Fredericton is really similar with my home town if we’re talking about weather and how small the community is. I really feel maybe it’s my new home,” Karmadanova said.
Newcomer artists deserve a chance: curator
Exhibit curator Misha Milchenko was born in Ukraine and grew up in Israel. He said there’s a “crazy amount” of talent in Fredericton, but the art scene can be challenging to break into — especially for a newcomer.
“I’ve seen so many great immigrant artists leave for Toronto or Vancouver or somewhere they can be artists,” he said. “So I wanted to give them a place here.”
Misha Milchenko is the curator of the exhibit, and said newcomer artists can face challenges getting into the art industry. (Pat Richard/CBC)
Milchenko said that immigrants are often the target of misconceptions or are homogenized.
“It’s not fun to uproot your whole life and start over in a new country, often we’re seen as kind of symbols of our home country,” he said.
Milchenko said immigrants might choose to leave because of politics, safety, or to obtain an education abroad.
He hopes people who come to the exhibit will be able to expand their view of what types of art are beautiful or popular in New Brunswick.
“There’s a lot of different viewpoints, I think it gives you a much more complete picture of immigration.”
‘Everyone misses their home,’ says artist
Adiba Samim is another artist showcasing her work in the exhibit.
“It’s normal that everyone misses their home,” said the 21-year-old, originally from Kabul, Afghanistan.
The city was captured by the Taliban in 2021. Samim’s sister worked for the Canadian Embassy, so she and her family of 10 were able to come to Canada.
Adiba Samim, origionally from Afghanistan, poses in front of her painting, which highlights the struggles of children in her home country who cannot access education. (Pat Richard/CBC)
Her painting shows a young child holding a cluster of colourful balloons as they light up the ground beneath the child’s feet. She said it represents children back home who have to work and are kept from school.
“When I see videos of kids from Afghanistan, I cry because there’s no one to support them and that’s the age they should play,” Samim said.
She hopes to return one day, if it’s safe, and become a teacher.
Volodymyr “Vova” Kripak of Zaporizhzhia, Ukraine, fled the war with his family. They arrived in Canada last summer.
Volodymyr ‘Vova’ Kripak and his family fled the war in Ukraine and came to Canada last summer. (Pat Richard/CBC)
His painting features a girl whose hair is blowing in the breeze as she stands in front of a wheat field and blue sky, an homage to the Ukrainian flag. The wind in her hair represents a fresh start, he said.
“Home, it’s not a spot on the map, it’s a spot inside of soul with your family, and only you can make a decision of where is your home,” said Kripak, 21.
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.
