Art

Residential school memorial at Vancouver Art Gallery removed

Published

1 year ago

May 19, 2023

Most of a memorial created by an artist to honour children who died in residential school has been removed from the steps of the Vancouver Art Gallery just days before the two-year anniversary of its installation.

But there is some disagreement about what happened to the items.

Haida artist Tamara Bell, who created the memorial using 215 pairs of children’s shoes, said she felt compelled to take some kind of action in the days after the Tk’emlúps te Secwepemc announced the discovery of 215 possible unmarked children’s graves at the site of the former Kamloops Indian Residential School.

Bell has had minimal involvement with the memorial since the first few days in May and June of 2021 when it became a place for people to gather and grieve.

Volunteers took over maintenance of the memorial, which has grown over time, and some have been living in tents next to the steps in Robson Square.

The City of Vancouver said it has been in talks with those volunteers about winding the vigil down and removing the items since November of last year.

“This is a really difficult and highly sensitive situation that we’re in. It’s a situation that the city has not been in before,” said Michelle Bryant-Gravelle, the city’s senior director of Indigenous relations. “The city is committed to working with Musqueam, Squamish and Tseil-Waututh to ensure there is a permanent site for the residential school children who did not make it home and to honour the survivors of residential schools.”

She said discussions have not yet started but the city is committed to following through.

Friday morning at 5:00 a.m. a crew showed up to Robson Square and installed eight-foot tall sections of blue fencing at either end of the plaza with signs explaining the area was closed to the public.

However, as of Thursday afternoon one section at each end of the plaza remains open and the public have still been allowed inside.

Private security guards hired by the city have been posted at each entrance.

According to the city, that was done to provide privacy because a ceremony led by local First Nations was to take place so the shoes, teddy bears and other assorted items could be gathered from the steps.

The plan called for them to be taken to a site in West Vancouver where they would be burned in another ceremony.

But by the time city staff arrived, most of the items had already been removed.

‘IT WENT MISSING’

Desiree Simeon, who has been organizing the volunteers who reside at the site, says she doesn’t know what happened to the items.

“It went missing,” Simeon said in an interview with CTV News. “We woke up and they weren’t there.”

According to the city, its staff saw the items in bags near the steps when they arrived and then watched as some of the volunteers from the vigil carried them away.

It says some of the items have since been discovered in locations throughout Vancouver and it is asking people not to disturb them and contact the city instead.

“So we may transfer them in a good way to a central location to prepare for blanketing and an upcoming private burning ceremony with Indigenous partners,” the city said in a statement.

Bell, the artist who originally started the memorial hopes her work will have a lasting legacy promoting understanding and reconciliation.

“My deepest desire is that the symbolism of the 215 residential children’s shoes remind all Canadians to embrace the recommendations found within the Truth and Reconciliation Report,” she said in a statement to CTV News.

The south steps of the art gallery still sit behind four-foot tall blue fencing erected to protect the memorial and the enclosed area still has several tents set up inside along with some of the items that have been added to the memorial over time.

Simeon said she and the other volunteers plan to slowly pack up their belongings and tents and vacate the site in the coming days.

“We gained a lot from just being here. We gained exposure to residential school and the murdering of Indigenous babies. And how it was done because it was swept under the rug,” she said. “I just thank all of the volunteers that were here to help me throughout the whole two years. There was a lot of ups and downs but I have no regrets.”

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Art

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

Published

3 weeks ago

September 26, 2024

Anne Joseph

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.

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Art

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

Published

1 month 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.