Art

QC: Art feeds the soul for Joely BigEagle-Kequahtooway – Regina Leader-Post

Published

3 years ago

July 29, 2021

Harry Miller

Her creations have passed through the hands of a prime minister and a pontiff.

Author of the article:

Arthur White-Crummey

Joely BigEagle-Kequahtooway stands in the newly-renamed Buffalo Meadows park in Regina, Saskatchewan on July 12, 2021. BigEagle-Kequahtooway has been at the heart of a push to have the name Dewdney removed from the park and swimming pool, as well as the street that runs along the south side of the park. Photo by BRANDON HARDER /Regina Leader-Post

The year 2016 was a turning point for Joely BigEagle-Kequahtooway.

After training as an engineer, she was working for SaskEnergy and running a boutique with her family. But that year, she lost the boutique and her job.

“I was devastated,” she said. “What am I going to do?”

Something else was happening that year that gave her new direction. The family went to the Standing Rock demonstration against the Dakota Access Pipeline. It left her with a renewed sense of the power of serving the community.

“Am I best suited to go back and be an engineer and to do project management?” she remembers asking herself. “Or am I best suited to just focus on community development?”

The answer, it turned out, was simple enough. Community work had always been her passion, even if it didn’t pay the bills. But by combining art, storytelling and the project management skills she learned as an engineer, she’s since become a force to be reckoned with in Regina.

BigEagle-Kequahtooway was one of the loudest voices calling on the city to deal more honestly with its past, notably by pushing for renaming Dewdney Avenue as Buffalo Avenue. That struggle is still being fought.

Yet another fight was recently won. She spoke to the Leader-Post in what was once the Dewdney Park and Pool, now renamed to Buffalo Meadows. She grew up just two blocks from here, in Regina’s North Central area.

Later, for two-and-a-half years, she spent time at her familial White Bear First Nation. It was there that she reconnected with her enormous family — 37 aunts and uncles and about 200 first cousins — and with the land.

“I feel more connected, as they’re connected over there to the land, so I got to be connected through them,” she said. “I think that’s the biggest lesson… our ceremonies are still alive.”

So it was natural enough for BigEagle-Kequahtooway and her husband, Lorne, to co-found Buffalo People Art Institute to help preserve those traditions. In the years since her turning point, they’ve been scraping, stretching, tanning and braining buffalo hides, creating art and sharing the process with those eager to learn.

They’ve done it about 50 times, in Lorne’s estimation. But in BigEagle-Kequahtooway’s view, it’s only an initiation.

“I feel like we’re still babies in learning this,” she said.

But the couple has nonetheless hosted a seven-part video series as a how-to guide on their work. They’ve led workshops across the province, including at Grasslands National Park. BigEagle-Kequahtooway held an exhibition at the University of Regina, where she was named artist in residence.

The buffalo is at the centre of everything they do. But so is their relationship. “I’m his muse; he’s my muse,” she said.

For BigEagle-Kequahtooway, the buffalo is a symbol of resilience. Long after they were nearly eradicated in the 19th century, she feels like they are still everywhere — in the sweat lodge, in the sun dance, in the land.

But she hasn’t given up on seeing the buffalo return on a grand scale, like they were when her people depended on them for every aspect of life.

“There’s 90 million cattle that are on this continent — zero from 500 years ago to 90 million,” she explained. “Well, maybe in another 500 years people will realize, hey we have to go back to buffalo, because the way that we’re running our ecosystem here with mono-agriculture and non-sustainable farming, maybe there’s better ways to do it.”

Working with buffalo hide can be an arduous process. First they have to find the hide, which can be the toughest step of all. Then they haul it. They soak the hide, poke holes in it, stretch it out on a 10-by-10 foot frame and use tools to scrape the muscle. They dry the hide before scraping still more layers. By then, the hide is ready to be brained. One buffalo brain is enough to treat its own hide. The brain, she explained, contains a chemical called lecithin that breaks down fibres and softens the hide.

The result can make robes, drum skins and parfleche for so much more.

“For me it’s about feeding our soul,” said BigEagle-Kequahtooway. “It’s about the process.”

Her training in mathematics and engineering has stayed with her, and still influences her work. “The art that I enjoy is based on geometry,” she explained. However much she tries to let loose and work with the spontaneity of a child, she can’t quite free herself from her love of order.

“I’ve got to get out my geometry kit. I’ve got to make my designs. I’ve got to make sure it’s symmetrical,” said BigEagle-Kequahtooway. “That controlled way that I do things.”

Her art has passed through the hands of a prime minister and a pontiff. She and Lorne made a parfleche gift commissioned by Justin Trudeau’s office as a gift to Cowessess First Nation Chief Cadmus Delorme. Trudeau passed it on with his own hands at an event this month.

A couple years ago, the Kequahtooways gifted a beaded cross to Pope Francis. As the pair worked on the project, BigEagle-Kequahtooway had her mother in mind.

“My mother went to residential schools… thinking of her, and so many others that have been to residential school in my family,” she said.

She saw the work as an opportunity, given the questionable role of the Catholic Church in Canada’s history with Indigenous people. BigEagle-Kequahtooway believes energy, feelings and messages can be transferred through art. So this one was important.

“Should we write a message?” she remembers asking during their beading work. “We put a prayer in it, and the prayer was: We want our people to live.”

She was told that the gift did, in fact, reach the pope.

Now, as the pandemic recedes, BigEagle-Kequahtooway is thinking about another turning point. She’s looking for ways to take her work to White Bear and her husband’s Zagime Anishnabek community.

“We’ve been focused on urban places because it’s where we live, and it’s where our kids live, and so we’ve been focused on bringing ceremony, bringing community here,” she said.

“Then sometimes we ask ourselves, what are we bringing into our home communities, because that’s where we’re from… It’s kind of in the back of our minds, because we always want to go back home — we want to feel like we belong.”

awhite-crummey@postmedia.com

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Art

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

Published

6 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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