Art

Vancouver Art Gallery receives $1.5 million donation for new building

Published

5 years ago

February 25, 2020

With the latest donation, the VAG now has raised $86.5 million from the private sector for the new building. It’s the most money ever raised by arts and culture organization in BC.

The campaign to build a new Vancouver Art Gallery continues to grow with the donation of $1.5 million by a long-time supporter.

The donation is from Donald Ellis, a Canadian art dealer whose gallery is based in New York. The Donald Ellis Gallery specializes in Northwest Coast art and other historical Indigenous North America art.

Including the Ellis donation, the Vancouver Art Gallery has raised $86.5 million from the private sector to build a new gallery in downtown Vancouver. That figure represents the most money ever raised by an arts and culture organization in B.C.

The VAG announced the Ellis donation Monday.

Ellis said he was “stepping out on a limb a little bit” by making the donation and publicly supporting the capital campaign for a new building.

“It’s the right thing to do and it’s an extension of what I have been doing my whole career,” he said in a video about his VAG donation.

He said the VAG is first among art museums in Canada, and possibly in North America, in the way it has exhibited and showcased Indigenous art.

He cited the seminal exhibition Arts of the Raven exhibition at the VAG in 1967. Curated by Doris Shadbolt, the exhibition marked a fundamental shift in the way a Canadian art institution displayed Indigenous works of the Northwest Coast as art rather than anthropology.

A more recent example took place in 2013 in an exhibition of the work of Charles Edenshaw, the great Haida artist considered one of the most important 19^th century Indigenous artists in North America.

Ellis recently donated five of Edenshaw’s works to the VAG: two bracelets (one gold, one silver) three silver spoons.

Because of his appearances on the U.S. version of the Antiques Roadshow, Ellis is one of the rare art dealers with a public presence. In one episode, he appraised a Navajo blanket for $350,000 to $500,000.

“The older man who brought it in starts to tear up, and it became one of the most famous appraisals in the show’s history,” John Mackie said in a story in The Vancouver Sun.

Originally from Ontario, Ellis has spent most of his time in B.C. for the past eight years.

The Donald Ellis Gallery client list includes The Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York, The National Gallery of Canada in Ottawa and the Musee de Quai Branly in Paris.

Donald Ellis.

PNG

In the video, Ellis spoke passionately about the importance of a new VAG for the city.

“We need a new Vancouver Art Gallery now because Vancouver needs to decide what it wants to be,” he said.

Ellis said a new VAG building won’t only be a place for artists and collectors but also for children, youngsters and adults so they can have the kind of transformative experiences that come from being exposed to different kinds of art.

“We need this,” he said. “The community needs this.”

Ellis acknowledged the importance of Indigenous people to the history of the country. In a VAG news release, he said he’s committed to the new VAG building and the potential it has to promote reconciliation through art.

Daina Augaitis, the VAG’s interim director, said Ellis’ generosity brings the gallery “one step closer” to raising enough to build a new downtown art gallery.

“I’m thrilled that he is making such a remarkable commitment to showcase historical Indigenous art in the new gallery building,” she said in a gallery news release.

Including a $50 million donation from the government of B.C. in 2008, the VAG has raised a total of $136.5 million from public and private sources. The VAG is looking for $100 million from the federal government and another $50 million from Victoria.

The building designed by Herzog & de Meuron includes 80,000 sq. ft of exhibition space — more than double what the VAG has at 750 Hornby — a 300-seat theatre, and two free-access galleries.

The new gallery will be located on a site donated by the city of Vancouver at West Georgia and Cambie.

A silver bracelet by Haida carver Charles Edenshaw (1839-1920). The bracelet of one of five Edenshaw works donated by art dealer Donald Ellis to the Vancouver Art Gallery. Photo: Ian Lefebvre/Vancouver Art Gallery
Ian Lefebvre Vancouver Art Galle /

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Art

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

Published

4 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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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.