Art

Windsor's art gallery is changing its focus, and its name – Windsor Star

Published

2 years ago

April 29, 2022

Art gallery executive director, Jennifer Matotek, is pictured in front of the new name of the gallery, Art Windsor-Essex (AWE), on Thursday, April 28, 2022. Photo by Dax Melmer /Windsor Star

The Art Gallery of Windsor — at least that was its name until Thursday night — is colouring outside the lines.

The organization is reinventing itself; pledging to be more than just a place where art is hung on a wall, and changing the name it has carried more than five decades. It is now called Art Windsor Essex (AWE).

The plan is to expand the boundaries of what a gallery is — taking art to the streets, online and putting it in people’s hands. The organization’s new tagline is “Change Happens Here.”

“AWE isn’t just going to be our name,” said executive director Jennifer Matotek. “It’s going to be our promise to audiences, to inspire, to provoke, surprise, make people think, laugh, and ultimately transform and change.”

The changes emerged from a strategic planning process that started in 2020, and included consultation with more than 200 community members.

Jennifer Matotek, executive director of the Art Gallery of Windsor, stands by a weatherproof life-sized reproduction of a painting from the AGW collection, mounted in downtown Windsor. Photographed Nov. 11, 2021. Photo by Dan Janisse /Windsor Star

The institution, then called Willistead Gallery, opened in 1943 at Willistead Manor. It became the Art Gallery of Windsor (AGW) in 1969. The AGW has had several homes since then, but the name always stuck.

That changed Thursday night with an announcement at the organization’s annual general meeting.

But Matotek said they’re not just switching out a sign on the building. While the focus on Indigenous, contemporary and historical Canadian art will remain, the methods for executing that mandate are evolving.

She said AWE will soon launch a project in the county, but the details are still under wraps.

“We’re going out into Essex, as our name implies,” Matotek said ahead of the annual meeting. “But also during COVID, we had our doors closed for so long, we’ve had to come up with really creative ways to get art out into the community. So we’ve really been doing that, meeting people where they are. That even means digitally.”

Jennifer Matotek, executive director of the Art Gallery of Windsor, stands in an exhibit on Aug. 3, 2021. Photo by Dan Janisse /Windsor Star

Working with a consultant and government funding, AWE will expand digital strategies over the next few years. Those strategies are not yet all set in stone, but Matotek said they could include a digital media studio, or immersive and digital exhibitions.

“We’re going to be embarking on a new digital strategy soon that’s really embracing the idea of what it means to be an art gallery for the 21st Century,” she said. “We’re hearing and doing and understanding that it’s more than just being a building with exhibition spaces.”

Inside the actual building, there will be a bigger focus on more hands-on and educational programs. The education studio, previously off limits except for events such as school tours, will be open to the general public.

“We really want people to think about history, culture and society, and how art connects with all of those things,” said Matotek. “We want to make sure that everybody who comes into the building has an opportunity to come into our studio and engage in something that’s hands-on creativity.”

The gallery also received funding from the Community Foundation for an emerging artists in residence program.

“Often, when you come into the gallery there will be an artist actually working in the gallery that you’ll be able to interact with,” said Matotek.

Other plans include transforming the gallery into a “creative hub” that attracts other kinds of “creators” in addition to visual artists.

“If anything with COVID, we learned that our mission is more than being a building that shows art with a collection in it,” said Matotek. “We learned the power of art and creativity to change people in positive ways, to help their mental health and help them grow as people.”

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Art

In search of art without an argument – Financial Times

Published

1 min ago

October 19, 2024

Harry Miller

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In search of art without an argument Financial Times

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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.