A new and colourful Supertrain is riding the rails of Edmonton’s LRT system this fall.
The temporary public art LRT car was created by local artists Michelle Campos Castillo and Roger Garcia. Campos Castillo is a visual artist and co-director at Latitude 53. Garcia is an art educator.
Campos Castillo said she has been wanting to collaborate with Garcia for a while now. Both came to Canada as refugees from El Salvador — Garcia when he was five, and Campos Castillo when she was eight.
“We’ve had a similar journey, and a similar love for the arts and we wanted to do a tribute to Salvadoran culture,” Campos Castillo told CBC’s Edmonton AM.
Garcia included his old pets — some parrots, a little dog — while Campos Castillo referenced her father and grandma. (Submitted by Michelle Campos Castillo and Roger Garcia)
The Supertrain Residency art initiative was in partnership with The Society of Northern Alberta Print-Artists (SNAP), the Edmonton Arts Council and Pattison Outdoor Advertising.
Three artists were commissioned to design three transitory public art murals for the interior and exterior of three LRT cars.
The artists created their designs over a two-month residency. The theme of the project was to explore the natural world in an urban environment, and bring mobile art out of the gallery and outside to Edmonton’s streets.
Edmonton AM5:02A very colourful LRT train is rolling through Edmonton
You may have noticed colourful new artwork on board an LRT train. Instead of the usual white and blue exterior, a mural-covered “supertrain” is running this fall. Two Edmonton artists with Salvadorian roots, Michelle Campos Castillo and Roger Garcia, collaborated for the first time to make the project.
Campos Castillo said it was hard to come up with designs.
“We grew up with mango trees and lemon trees and avocado trees, so we wanted to bring those bright visuals to transit, which can be a bit drab in the winter — and commuting is hard.”
The train depicts colourful plantain leaves and corn, which are a big part of the Salvadorian diet.
The artists personalized their work. Campos Castillo referenced her father and grandma. Garcia included his old pets — some parrots, a little dog.
“The memories that I drew are still very vivid,” said Garcia, who still has pet parrots.
“I always remember having the guava tree just behind our little apartment in El Salvador,” he said. “And my mom used to have this garden in the front and I remember it was full of hibiscus flowers. I used to just eat them.”
Campos Castillo and Garcia wanted to bring in bright visuals to make the train colourful. (Submitted by Michelle Campos Castillo and Roger Garcia)
Garcia and Campos Castillo rode the train through the city observing how the commuters interacted with their art.
“All the colours that we included in the train, people just stop and just look around and enjoy every image,” Garcia said.
Campos Castillo said the art has been a source of pride for people in the Salvadoran community.
“There’s some sense of wonder and excitement for the illustrations,” she said.
“We want the colours to bring people in and maybe make them curious about Salvadoran culture.”
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.
