Art

With new exhibit Montreal artist Karen Tam conjures the city’s historic Chinatown

Published

2 years ago

March 4, 2023

The exhibition features photographs and documents from the city’s historic Chinatown as well as Tam’s own creations inspired by traditional Chinese art forms.Laura Dumitriu/McCord Stewart Museum

Montreal artist Karen Tam has mounted an exhibition at the McCord Stewart Museum entitled Swallowing Mountains. Drawing on the McCord’s archives as well as donations from the community, it features photographs and documents from the city’s historic Chinatown as well as Tam’s own creations inspired by traditional Chinese art forms such as shadow puppets and western Chinoiserie. The Globe and Mail spoke with Tam about the exhibit.

Tell me how your family came to Canada.

The first person to come was my great-grandfather on my dad’s side in 1907. He came to find work: You could make more money in two months in Canada than you would in two to three years in China. He went back twice to China, first to get married, the second time for my grandfather’s birth, but after my grandfather was born, he never went back. He was based in Montreal and separated from the family from 1923 until my grandparents and my dad and his siblings came in 1967. The family was reunited then.

So, your great-grandmother, his wife, always remained in China. You describe the Chinese immigrant community in Montreal as a bachelor society. Why?

Because of the disproportionate number of men in the first waves of Chinese immigration; migrants came to work for the gold rush and then for the construction of the railway. Once the railway was completed in 1885, the government imposed a head tax.

It went up to $500 by the early 1900s. It was exorbitant, only the wealthy could afford to bring their wives or their children.

And those are your great-grandfather’s real head tax documents in the show?

I believe it was a replacement for the original that he lost. But yes, he had paid the head tax.

How did you find it?

When I was in high school, it was a history class assignment to find something related to Canadian history. I just started asking my family and asking my grandfather. He produced it and eventually he let me have the document because I was the only grandchild who was interested in these things.

Tam’s own grandfather’s head tax documents feature in the show.Laura Dumitriu/McCord Stewart Museum

Where did you find the other people’s documents?

The other ones were lent to me. The other gentleman is the father-in-law of a friend of my mom. And the third certificate I find absolutely fascinating: It’s very rare because it’s a head tax for a woman. She came in August, 1923. So, the Chinese Exclusion Act that banned virtually all forms of Chinese immigration was passed July 1, 1923. She was probably one of the last Chinese immigrants that were allowed into the country. It’s actually the certificate of the grandmother of a museum member who read about my project and got in touch.

And the portraits, those are your great-grandparents? That’s the man who came to Canada?

Yes. They are ancestral portraits that were hung in the family home in China, in a village now on the outskirts of the city of Taishan.

It hung there until 2004 when my dad finally sold the restaurant and had his first vacation. (It was called Restaurant aux septs bonheurs, it was a typical chop suey kind of restaurant in the east end just behind the botanical gardens. He ran it from 1976 to 2004.) So, we went back to China with my mom to the village and we saw it and we thought we should bring this back home.

First there was this head tax and then a period of complete exclusion that coincided with the revolution in China. The later documents you found are the citizenship papers for the generation in the 1960s. Did it isolate the community in Montreal, the lack of new members?

Well, it’s definitely small, but I think that the community here was very much in contact with Chinatown communities across the country and in the States too. When I talked to some of the lenders of the photographs and other materials, they all knew each other, they all grew up together.

Tam says she wanted to talk about Canadian art history and Chinese art history and ask who gets to be included in both.Laura Dumitriu/McCord Stewart Museum

Was it different from the Chinatown in Toronto or Vancouver?

There are very similar experiences, but the Chinatowns in Vancouver and Victoria are much older and more established. Everything that we’re experiencing now in Montreal, such as gentrification and real estate development, it’s a little behind what Toronto or Vancouver have experienced. Another thing that’s unique is that it’s a minority within a minority, factoring in the French language. In the photos that I borrowed, you’ll see the Saint-Jean-Baptiste celebrations in Chinatown. It’s one example of a kind of hybridization.

You straddle curation and making your own art. How did that come about?

It comes out of my own installation practice. The first exhibition I did, With wings like clouds hung from the sky, in 2017 at the Art Gallery of Greater Victoria, I didn’t really see as curating. I looked at the Chinese immigrant artist named Lee Nam who worked in the 1930s in Victoria’s Chinatown. We only know about him through the journals of Emily Carr.

I wanted to talk about what is Canadian art history and Chinese art history and who gets to be included. There are ink-brush art communities that are really vibrant, but they have their own networks different from the contemporary western-based art ecosystem. I wanted to parallel some of the experiences of those ink brush painters now with Lee Nam. I started inviting local community artists to show their works next to Emily Carr paintings and Chinese masters. Kind of putting everyone on this equal standing. That’s where the curatorial aspects started creeping in.

At the McCord, you’ve placed some of your own work in alcoves around the gallery, as though they were mini storefronts. Tell me about the installation.

I love playing with architectural features of a given space; that gallery space has these four alcoves or niches. I was thinking about Chinese diaspora spaces, and thinking about how in the ‘70s and ‘80s the government expropriated acres of land from Chinatown to build the Montreal Convention Centre and the Complexe Guy-Favreau. This is something that occurred in other Chinatowns too: The first Chinatown in Toronto was razed to construct Nathan Phillips Square. In Vancouver, parts of Chinatown were torn down for the Georgia Viaduct. So, I was thinking that this exhibition, even though it’s temporary, could be one way of reclaiming that diaspora space.

Swallowing Mountains continues at the McCord-Stewart Museum in Montreal to August 13.

This interview has been edited and condensed.

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Art

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

Published

1 day 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.

Art

Ukrainian sells art in Essex while stuck in a warzone – BBC.com

Published

2 weeks ago

September 2, 2024

Harry Miller

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Ukrainian sells art in Essex while stuck in a warzone BBC.com

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Art

Somerset House Fire: Courtauld Gallery Reopens, Rest of Landmark Closed

Published

4 weeks ago

August 18, 2024

Harry Miller

The Courtauld Gallery at Somerset House has reopened its doors to the public after a fire swept through the historic building in central London. While the gallery has resumed operations, the rest of the iconic site remains closed “until further notice.”

On Saturday, approximately 125 firefighters were called to the scene to battle the blaze, which sent smoke billowing across the city. Fortunately, the fire occurred in a part of the building not housing valuable artworks, and no injuries were reported. Authorities are still investigating the cause of the fire.

Despite the disruption, art lovers queued outside the gallery before it reopened at 10:00 BST on Sunday. One visitor expressed his relief, saying, “I was sad to see the fire, but I’m relieved the art is safe.”

The Clark family, visiting London from Washington state, USA, had a unique perspective on the incident. While sightseeing on the London Eye, they watched as firefighters tackled the flames. Paul Clark, accompanied by his wife Jiorgia and their four children, shared their concern for the safety of the artwork inside Somerset House. “It was sad to see,” Mr. Clark told the BBC. As a fan of Vincent Van Gogh, he was particularly relieved to learn that the painter’s famous Self-Portrait with Bandaged Ear had not been affected by the fire.

Blaze in the West Wing

The fire broke out around midday on Saturday in the west wing of Somerset House, a section of the building primarily used for offices and storage. Jonathan Reekie, director of Somerset House Trust, assured the public that “no valuable artefacts or artworks” were located in that part of the building. By Sunday, fire engines were still stationed outside as investigations into the fire’s origin continued.

About Somerset House

Located on the Strand in central London, Somerset House is a prominent arts venue with a rich history dating back to the Georgian era. Built on the site of a former Tudor palace, the complex is known for its iconic courtyard and is home to the Courtauld Gallery. The gallery houses a prestigious collection from the Samuel Courtauld Trust, showcasing masterpieces from the Middle Ages to the 20th century. Among the notable works are pieces by impressionist legends such as Edouard Manet, Claude Monet, Paul Cézanne, and Vincent Van Gogh.

Somerset House regularly hosts cultural exhibitions and public events, including its popular winter ice skating sessions in the courtyard. However, for now, the venue remains partially closed as authorities ensure the safety of the site following the fire.

Art lovers and the Somerset House community can take solace in knowing that the invaluable collection remains unharmed, and the Courtauld Gallery continues to welcome visitors, offering a reprieve amid the disruption.

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