Alan Compo from the Grand River Bands of Ottawa Indians grew up wishing there was more imagery from the Anishinaabe culture portrayed in local art. Now that he is a full-time artist, he uses the stories that he heard growing up to create vibrant pieces of artwork.
Oct. 11 is Indigenous Peoples’ Day which is a holiday that celebrates Native American culture and traditions. Compo has multiple pieces in the Grand Rapids area that commemorates the history of his tribe.
“Now that I’m able to do a lot of outside art and murals, I’d like to think that there’s some little Anishinaabe kid walking by and sees it and they’ll know that it came from another Anishinaabe,” Compo said.
Sharing Anishinaabe stories to the public is one of Compo’s main motivations for his art. He said he was lucky to grow up with grandparents who still shared stories and relates them to everyday happenings. There are some young Anishinaabek who have not been as lucky to have heard these stories.
“It’s cool to be able to take those stories and to be able to create them in my way or how I took them growing up and how I think of them now,” Compo said.
Compo has always gravitated toward art as he was surrounded by working art such as basket making his whole life. He was also exposed to painters and other native artists throughout the Michigan community that have inspired his work throughout his career. However, the older generations are not the only ones who inspire Compo
“There are so many younger artists coming up and I’m inspired by them and what they’re doing. Especially how they are taking new media and doing new things with it,” Compo said.
While he portrays traditional stories and themes, Compo refers to most of his work as contemporary. His work typically involves vibrant colors and imagery that draws the viewer in closer.
“A lot of the time I really like the bright colors because I feel like we are all bright people,” Compo said.
One of Compo’s most recent projects is his collaboration with Graffiti Wall GR and other Anishinaabek artists. This wall in the Creston Heights Neighborhood is a legal graffiti wall that allows the community to freely express themselves.
The wall was painted all orange to honor and remember the survivors and children who lost their lives in residential and boarding schools across Turtle Island. Compo led a group of collaborators who each contributed to the piece by bringing their own experiences and forms of expression. The orange wall is an example of a piece of community art, but Compo said he sees almost all of his murals as community pieces.
Compo considers his 2018 ArtPrize entry “Anishinaabek” his pride and joy. This mural, located on Pearl St. downtown Grand Rapids, is intentionally placed in a tunnel along the Grand River. This specific area was chosen because it is where the sacred plum orchards used to be.
The plum orchard was known as a women’s area as well as a place where ceremonies were held. This land was taken away from them when settlers came and burnt down the orchard, leaving them without a place for ceremonies and gathering.
Compo’s piece retells the history behind the plum orchards and the Anishinaabek women.
“To work with the city to help bring that idea back and that story back that a lot of people don’t even realize,” Compo said.
Compo’s mission is to spread the stories of his people throughout the community. His brightly colored murals and artwork can be found throughout the Grand Rapids area.
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.
