Sunday, July 4, 2010

Norval Morrisseau Conspiracy Unveiled (Part XXIX)

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Exhibit No. 26
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"Grandfather Speaks of Great Ancestral Warrior", 61"x58",
© 1977 Norval Morrisseau ~ Click HERE to view reverse side of canvas ~
/Click on image to Enlarge/-
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Painting presented above: 'Grandfather Speaks of Great Ancestral Warrior' - 1977 came from Mr. Rolf Schneiders' collection - Thunder Bay, Ontario (Ref.: Exhibit No. 3 & Exhibit No. 11).-

This magnificent painting has been blatantly labeled as a fake by Mr. Gabe Vadas? (see Exhibit No. 23). Mr. Jonathan Browne who created www.morrisseaubuyersbeware.com because he felt that gallery which sold him the painting (Bearclaw Gallery, Edmonton, Alberta) witheld vital information concerning the provenance of the art piece which he believed was not particularly ethical (view 'THE OTTAWA CITIZEN' detailed explanation as per their newspaper article 'Collectors sue gallery over disputed painting'; written by Paul Gessell dated 01/22/2009 (Click HERE).
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The .pdf file of 'THE OTTAWA CITIZEN' article 'Collectors sue gallery over disputed painting' (click HERE) which was created by Mr. Jonathan Browne it has been deleted from his website within 12 hours of this content originally posted on this blog (click HERE). Click HERE to view the same .pdf file stored at www.norvalmorrisseau.com).

It is important to mention that Mr. Jonathan Browne deleted all pertinent information regarding to this court case from his defamatory website www.morrisseaubuyersbeware.com.-

The following is an excerpt from 'THE OTTAWA CITIZEN' article:-

>>> As per an e-mail to the Ottawa Citizen, Bearclaw Gallery's director Jackie Bugera declined to comment on the case, except to say: "I remain very confident that we will be successful in defending this claim.
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Bearclaw Gallery is an established Edmonton gallery selling First Nations works since 1975. The gallery's roster of stars includes some of the biggest names in aboriginal art, including Daphne Odjig, Alex Janvier and Jane Ash Poitras.
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Ms. Bugera has declined to be interviewed. However, before the launch of the Brownes' suit, Ms. Bugera e-mailed a statement to the Citizen in which she said the gallery "stands by the authenticity" of 'Grandfather Speaks of Great Ancestral Warrior' and Mr. Browne and his wife, also known as Julie Witmer, bought there. Both husband and wife hold PhDs and operate an Ottawa consulting business.
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"Over the course of selling Norval Morrisseau works over the past 30 years, Drs. Browne and Witmer are the first customers who have ever questioned the authenticity and provenance of our paintings," Ms. Bugera wrote. "As with any other customer, Bearclaw Gallery has treated Drs. Browne and Witmer in a manner not inconsistent with the standards expected of any other fine art gallery in Alberta."
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Ms. Bugera said the gallery was initially prepared to exchange 'Grandfather Speaks of Great Ancestral Warrior' upon learning of the Brownes "specific reservations." That position changed after "the great lengths" the Brownes took to express their "dissatisfaction." The prospect of any "exchange or refund" was removed from the table. After the Brownes launched the suit against Bearclaw Gallery, Ms. Bugera said she could not comment
on a matter before the courts.
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The Brownes say they have been unable to find anyone, including art galleries specializing in Morrisseau works or experts at the Norval Morrisseau Heritage Society, willing to sign a document saying the painting is real or a forgery.
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The heritage society is trying to assemble a list, or catalogue raisonne, of all true Morrisseau works. In the meantime, the group is refusing, publicly at least, to label what is real and what is fake.
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In an interview with the Citizen earlier this month, Mr. Otavnik said he had offered to refund the Brownes their money for Grandfather Speaks. But there was a condition.
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"They told me that members of the Norval Morrisseau Heritage Society called it a fake," Mr. Otavnik said. "I said, 'Perfect; put that in writing and I'll refund your money.' They never did."
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The Brownes produced no statement in writing from experts, says Mr. Otavnik, "because I could sue those people."
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Mr. Otavnik does not accept the statement from Mr. Vadas that the painting is a fake. Some people, Mr. Otavnik says, are declaring painting fakes as a way of "controlling the market."
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Reached by telephone at his home in Nanaimo, B.C., Mr. Vadas refused to comment on any aspects of the Morrisseau controversies saying he did not want to unleash more "harassment" against him. Mr. Vadas did invite the Citizen to send him written questions. That was done. But, in an e-mail, he declined to answer any of them.
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IMPORTANT NOTE: Mr. Jonathan Browne reconfirmed to me via e-mail dated February 1st, 2010 that “In terms of the claim, it was for misrepresentation and not authenticity”... also, click HERE to view the consignment agreement between Mr. Joseph Otavnik and Heffel Auction house in Toronto, Ontario in which this painting "Grandfather Speaks of Great Ancestral Warrior" was clearly mentioned or click HERE (Ref.: Exhibit No. 24). > Document dated August 1st, 2006 <

For full story click HERE or HERE.-

~ 'The Ottawa Citizen' article 'Collectors sue gallery over disputed painting' ~-

>>> Mr. Jonathan Browne's www.morrisseaubuyersbeware.com is quite obviously harming the Norval Morrisseau's art market and artist's legacy as much as Ritchie Sinclair's www.morrisseau.com.
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Most of the paintings presented in Exhibit No. 3 were also acquired directly from Mr. Rolf Schneiders, Thunder Bay, Ontario and paintings that come with Certificates of Authenticity signed by Norval Morrisseau himself (see Exhibit No. 11).
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It is worth mentioning The Thunder Bay Art Gallery which holds among the other art pieces from the Helen E. Bend Collection had received in 2002 a donation of an oil painting on natural birch bark 'After Spirit of the Fourth' (Item: 02.3.1) > 24.8 cm x 26.2 cm > 1958 which was directly donated from Mr. Rolf Schnieders' Private Collection (click HERE to read the information from The Thunder Bay Art Gallery pertaining to this painting). -

Also, Mr. Joseph Otavnik Family donated four paintings in 2004 to the same institution:-

1) 'Untitled' [animal spirits facing inward] (Item: 04.7.1) > 73 cm x 56 cm > 1970; 2) 'Untitled' [two shaman and animal spirits in cameo] (Item: 04.7.2) > 72 cm x 85 cm > 1979; 3) Lake Trout with Eggs (Item: 04.7.3) > 114 cm x 80 cm > 1973 & 4) 'Untitled' [fish with minnows] (Item: 04.7.4) > 73 cm x 50 cm > 1976 (click HERE for where Ritchie 'Stardreamer' Sinclair is labeling this painting as an "Inferior Counterfeit Morrisseau". -

All of these paintings are declared authentic by Mr. Glenn Allison* who was a Curator of The Thunder Bay Art Gallery. -

* - Mr. Glenn Allison began his career as Research Curator at the Vancouver Art Gallery, working with Doris Shadboft from 1968-1972. His experience of more than thirty years includes management of the Bau-Xi Galleries on the west coast of Canada; Instructor of Art History for Columbia Junior College and Capilano College; instructor for the British Columbia Museums Association; instructor for the Association of Manitoba Museums; instructor for Brandon University, Manitoba; Director-Curator of the Art Gallery of Southwestern Manitoba, Brandon 1989-1999; Director Canadian Clay & Glass Gallery, Waterloo 2000-2003. -

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION:-

Due to the fact that Mr. Rolf Schneiders' name has been mentioned several times on the internet in not very respectful way I decided to 'speak up' again and defend his name and his involvment with issues in connection with authentic Norval Morrisseau's art pieces that came from his private collection at one time or another. At the same time when I originally introduced Mr. Rolf Schneiders I introduced individual that was selling paintings that originated from Mr. Rolf Schneiders' collection - Mr. Anthony (Tony) Martinenko; art dealer from Winnipeg, Manitoba; who is an important element in describing many of the issues involving Norval Morrisseau's art that have been offered for sale all across Canada in the past decade. He took over art dealing activities from Alan (Al) R. Swanson (08/10/1947-11/05/1998) who dealt with paintings from Mr. Rolf Schneiders' collection. Another individual introduced who sold many paintings that originated from the same source was Darcy Boylan (also deceased) from Thunder Bay, Ontario.-

Mr. Anthony Martinenko was also seen selling Norval Morrisseau's paintings on 'eBay' that he acquired directly from Mr. Schneiders (click HERE). -

Mr. Rolf Schneiders acquired paintings for his collection from different sources one of which was Mr. David Voss (see Exhibit No. 9) who also supplied paintings for the Kahn Auction ('Randy Potter Estate Auctions') namely to Mr. Randy Potter, co-owner/auctioneer (see Exhibit No. 20).-

Mr. Schneiders' collection was one of the major sources of Norval Morrisseau's paintings that were supplied to different galleries all across Canada by Mr. Anthony Martinenko who supplied paintings even to Coghlan Art Studio & Gallery, Aldergrove, BC for many years (click HERE, HERE & HERE). --

Among other galleries Mr. Anthony Martinenko was supplying Norval Morrisseau's paintings to Maslak McCleod Gallery, Toronto, Ontario and Bearclaw Gallery, Edmonton, Alberta.-

Also, my first Norval Morrisseau's painting was purchased in Winter 1999-2000 from Mr. Anthony Martinenko who acquired it from Mr. Rolf Schneiders! (click HERE)
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