Teresa Kuo will be working on an animated short film, Where My Branches Stem, while Scott Parsons will be composing an album about historical Black Islanders. (Submitted by Teresa Kuo and Scott Parsons)
Two Charlottetown-based artists have each received arts grants to undertake projects that examine the importance of cultural heritage and contemplate personal identity, with one of them also unearthing some hidden history in Prince Edward Island.
Teresa Kuo received a $5,000 provincial grant to direct and animate a seven-minute film which tells the story of a young Chinese woman who leaves her work life in the city, to move back home with her grandfather. This leads the woman to understand the importance of her cultural identity.
Kuo said she hopes the short film connects with more than a Chinese-Canadian audience.
“[It’s] a story of leaving home and then missing who you are and your background and going back to that and reconnecting with family and kind of finding what’s important to you as you get older,” Kuo said. “I think that’s something everyone can relate to.”
A still image from Kuo’s upcoming animation, Where The Branches Stem. (Submitted by Teresa Kuo)
A self-reflection in film
Kuo said she relates to what the protagonist of her short film goes through, and many others would, too. “It definitely pertains to me, but I also feel like it’s not special just to my experience,” she said.
Kuo, who is of Taiwanese descent, said she is pleased to receive the arts grant to begin a project very meaningful to her.
“A lot of these art-based works, it takes a lot of time, a lot of sacrificed time as well. So any amount of money is useful in trying to not only get by finishing the film but be able to put all of my vision into creating all the details.”
Kuo’s short film is titled Where My Branches Stem. She said it’s a pun on the Chinese lunar solar calendar, and the theme of the short film.
“The Chinese lunar solar calendar is represented by the 12 earthly branches, along with the 10 heavenly stems,” she said.
“I [also] thought about the girl, you know, trying to make amends with everything and going back to her roots, and it all just kind of made sense in that title.”
Teresa Kuo’s animated film is still in production. She hopes to have it produced by February 2023. (Submitted by Teresa Kuo)
Forgotten P.E.I. history
Scott Parsons, another provincial grant recipient, will use his $6,000 to record an album that tells the story of prominent Black Islanders whose stories have been forgotten.
For him, it’s important to share their stories because they tell more than Black history, Parsons said.
“It’s not just Black Islanders’ history, it’s Prince Edward Island history. [These are] people who have lived here, and worked here, and been part of the community,” he said.
“I think it’s important that not only Islanders, but people in the world, know that history.”
The Black community contributed a lot to society here but we’re never really recognized. It was just kind of something that people just didn’t seem to know about.– Scott Parsons
He’s grateful for the support from Innovation P.E.I. and the province through the grant, Parsons said.
“I’ve had lots of support from them over the years. I’ve been writing songs about P.E.I.’s Black history over the last 25 years.”
One of those songs, Father Please, tells the story of Paul Keough, a Black Islander who was adopted out of P.E.I and came back to the Island to find his biological parents.
“He and his wife came back here and they knew that a priest downtown [in Charlottetown] had information about who his natural parents were, but the priest wouldn’t tell him,” Parsons said.
“So he and his wife said, ‘Father we just want you to know that we’ll be here every day at noon to interrupt your dinner until you tell us what you know,’ [and] they did.”
Parson said the priest finally told Keough about his parents, who then met his biological mother on her deathbed. Keough’s father was Benny Binns, a notable boxer from P.E.I.
‘I think it’s important that not only Islanders, but people in the world, know that history,’ says Scott Parsons. (Submitted by Scott Parsons)
Parsons said he got inspiration to write songs from a book called Black Islanders by Jim Hornby. The book tells the story of notable Black Prince Edward Islanders like Binns.
Hornby’s book is one of the few historical artifacts telling Black history on P.E.I., he said.
“The Black community contributed a lot to society here but we’re never really recognized. It was just kind of something that people just didn’t seem to know about,” he said.
Parsons also hopes to receive a grant from the Canada Council for the Arts so he can complete a larger version of the project, which he would produce by the spring.
Kuo, meanwhile, plans to have her short film completed and submitted to film festivals by February 2023. Adrian Irvine, a P.E.I.-raised violinist and composer, will produce the soundtrack for her film.
For more stories about the experiences of Black Canadians — from anti-Black racism to success stories within the Black community — check out Being Black in Canada, a CBC project Black Canadians can be proud of. You can read more stories here.
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.
