On View: Addis Fine Art is Showcasing Tadesse Mesfin, Addis Gezehagn, Tsedaye Makonnen, and Tizta Berhanu at Art Dubai - Culture Type | Canada News Media
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On View: Addis Fine Art is Showcasing Tadesse Mesfin, Addis Gezehagn, Tsedaye Makonnen, and Tizta Berhanu at Art Dubai – Culture Type

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“Rest in the arms of trust” (2020) by Tizta Berhanu

On View presents images from noteworthy exhibitions

NEW WORKS BY FOUR ARTISTS at different stages of their careers are being presented by Addis Fine Art at Art Dubai 2021 (March 29-April 3). Hailing from Ethiopia and its diaspora, their diverse works address similar themes—the human condition and our resilience and adaptability in the contemporary moment given the myriad challenges and upheaval around the world.

Rising figurative painter Tizta Berhanu (b. 1991) participated in Art Dubai’s 2020 residency program. “Hēber,” her first solo show at Addis Fine Art in Addis Ababa in December 2020, showcased her emotional, complex compositions. She lives and works in Addis Ababa.

Employing acrylic paint and magazine cut-outs, the layered collages of Addis Ababa-based Addis Gezehagn (b. 1978) depict the evolving urban landscape of Addis Ababa, referencing the past, documenting the present, and imagining the future of residential homes and public spaces. According to the gallery, “the works archive walls and towers destined to crumble, tracing a pattern of classism and social injustice and offering a commentary on the socio-economic context of urban life.”

The multidisciplinary studio, curatorial, and research-based practice of Tsedaye Makonnen (b. 1984) centers Black lives and is rooted in her identity. An Ethiopian American who lives and works in Washington, D.C., she is an artist, doula, mother, and daughter of Ethiopian immigrants. A recipient of a 2019 Smithsonian Artist Research Fellowship, Makonnen participated in 100 Years | 100 Women: Part II, hosted by the Park Avenue Armory in New York in August 2020. Her Astral Sea series, a textile installation activated through performance, explores feminism and forced migration.

A pioneer in Ethiopian Modernism, Tadesse Mesfin (b. 1953) is a longstanding professor at the Alle School of Fine Art and Design in Addis Ababa, where he is training the next generation of artists. On view at Addis Fine Art in London in fall 2020, “Pillars of Life” was Mesfin’s first solo show in Europe. CT

Addis Fine Art is showing at Art Dubai 2021, United Arab Emirates, from March 29-April 3, 2021


Installation view of Addis Fine Art at Art Dubai 2021. | Courtesy of Jalal Abuthina and Addis Fine Art

Co-founded in 2016 by Rakeb Sile and Mesai Haileleul, Addis Fine Art has locations in Addis Ababa and London. | Courtesy Bandele Zuberi


ADDIS GEZEHAGN, “Floating City XXIV,” 2021 (acrylic & mixed media on canvas, 39⅜ x 31½ inches / 100 x 80 cm). | © Addis Gezehagn. Courtesy the artist, Natnael Kebede, and Addis Fine Art


ADDIS GEZEHAGN, “Floating City XXIII,” 2021 (acrylic and mixed media on canvas, 48 x 48 inches / 122 x 122 cm). | © Addis Gezehagn. Courtesy the artist and Addis Fine Art


Installation view of Addis Fine Art at Art Dubai 2021. | Courtesy of Jalal Abuthina and Addis Fine Art


TADESSE MESFIN, “*TBC* from Pillars of Life series,” 2021 (oil on canvas, 195 x 114 cm). | © Tadesse Mesfin. Courtesy the artist, Natnael Kebede, and Addis Fine Art


TSEDAYE MAKONNEN, “Astral Sea II,” 2019 (acrylic mirror and fabric, 457.2 x 91.44 cm). | © Tsedaye Makonnen. Courtesy the artist and Addis Fine Art


Installation view of Addis Fine Art at Art Dubai 2021. | Courtesy of Jalal Abuthina and Addis Fine Art


TIZTA BERHANU, “Dream Intimacy,” 2020 (oil on canvas, 90 x 90 cm). | © Tizta Berhanu. Courtesy the artist, Eyerusalem Jiregna, and Addis Fine Art

TOP IMAGE: TIZTA BERHANU, “Rest in the arms of trust,” 2020 (oil on canvas, 120 x 120 cm). | © Tizta Berhanu. Courtesy the artist, Eyerusalem Jiregna, and Addis Fine Art

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A misspelled memorial to the Brontë sisters gets its dots back at last

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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.

The Canadian Press. All rights reserved.

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

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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.

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Ukrainian sells art in Essex while stuck in a warzone – BBC.com

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Ukrainian sells art in Essex while stuck in a warzone  BBC.com



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