Eight Anniversary of Norval Morrisseau's Passing Into the Spirit World

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~ By the Smithsonian Institution: "The Greatest Aboriginal Artist Of The World That Has Ever Lived!"

Norval Morrisseau, R.C.A., C.M., LL.D., D.Litt., R.S.C.

(March 14th, 1931 - December 4th, 2007)

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"Portrait of Norval Morrisseau," a Monumental Sculpture*

by © Susan Murar; Photography by Lucinda Jones

~ Click on image to Enter Susan Murar's website

Portrait (White clay): 8' x 3'-6" x 2'-2" (Height x Width x Depth)

Staff (White clay): 3'-10" x 1'-10" x 10" (Height x Width x Depth)

/The portrait has not yet been cast into bronze/
 

* It is time that an individual, cultural agency, or Canadian art museum step forward to "acquire" this 1st 3D and monumental portrait of Ojibwa artist Norval Morrisseau - to "present" it to this and future generations "to build bridges between the peoples of the earth and heal the divisions between hearts". It is time to find a public space, a home for it in Canada where all people will be able to view it and learn more about this great Ojibway artist, Norval Morrisseau.
  
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A member of The Royal Canadian Academy of Arts (R.C.A.) since 1970, Norval Morrisseau is the most original and important artist that Canada has produced. He is the celebrated founder of the Woodland Indian School of Art (today called the Anishnaabe art), which revitalized Anishnaabe iconography, traditionally incised on rocks and Midewiwin birchbark scrolls.

A self-taught painter, Norval Morrisseau created an innovative visual vocabulary which was initially criticized in the Native community for its disclosure of traditional spiritual knowledge, previously passed down orally. He acquired his knowledge from his grandfather, Moses ("Potan") Nanakonagos, who taught him about Midewiwin scrolls which provided him with a source of powerful images and meanings. His visions come to life on birch bark, paper and canvas. His powerful way of using images and colours effect the viewers in ways that are not immediately apparent...

In 1962 Morrisseau was the first Aboriginal artist to have work shown in a contemporary art gallery (the Pollock Gallery in Toronto), where his bright, stylized images of Windigos, spirit guides, and animals were so well received that he sold all the paintings at the opening night. His colourful, figurative images delineated with heavy black/blue formlines, were characteristically signed with the Cree syllabic spelling of "Copper Thunderbird", the name Medicine woman gave to him aiding his recovery from sickness in his youth.

Norval Morrisseau completed many commissions during his career, including the mural for the Indians of Canada Pavilion at Expo '67. He was presented with the Order of Canada (O.C.) in 1978, and in 1980 honourary doctorates from McGill and McMaster Universities. In 1989 he was invited, as the only Canadian painter, to exibit at the Centre Georges Pompidou in Paris to mark the bicentennial of the French Revolution. In 1995 he was awarded with the Eagle Feather (the highest honour awarded by the the Assembly of First Nations). In 1996 he was appointed Grand Shaman of the Ojibway and in 2005 he was elected to the ranks of The Royal Society of Canada (R.S.C.).

His work now hangs in all of the most prestigious museums in Canada and around the world. The National Gallery of Canada in Ottawa had in 2006 a major retrospective of his works: "Norval Morrisseau - Shaman Artist" - the first solo exhibition featuring a First Nations artist in its 126-year history.

Morrisseau, who had been living in Nanaimo, British Columbia, died at General Hospital in Toronto on December 4th, 2007.

Source: An unofficial Website of Norval Morrisseau


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"The longer you stand in front of any of his creations, the more you are drawn into his world. A sense of enlightenments experienced as time stands still and you are taken to a place only he could describe."

George Lépine
Assinaboine - Manitoba

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Awards

1970 Appointed a member of the Royal Canadian Academy of Art (RCAA)
1978 Order of Canada
1980 Honorary Doctorate of Laws Degree
McMaster University, Hamilton Ontario
1995 Eagle Feather from the Assembly of First Nations, Ottawa


Selected solo/group exhibitions:

1962-64 Pollock Gallery, Toronto, Ontario

1964 Red Door Gallery, Winnipeg, Manitoba

1965 Galerie Agnes Lefort, Montreal, Quebec
Images Du Folklore Indien – Norval Morrisseau, An Ojibway Artist
Hart House Gallery, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario

1966 Galerie Cartier (Co-sponsored by Pollock Gallery), Montreal, Quebec

1967 Musée du Quebec, Quebec City, Quebec
Pollock Gallery, Toronto, Ontario
La Galerie Cartier, Montreal, Quebec

1968 Art Gallery of Newport (Sponsored by Galerie Cartier), Newport, Rhode Island, USA

1969 Norval Morrisseau: Peintre indien du Grand Nord Canadien
Gallerie Saint-Paul, Saint-Paul-de-Vence, France
 

1972 Pollock Gallery, Toronto, Ontario
Retrospective

1974 Beau-xi Gallery, Toronto, Ontario
Pollock Gallery, Toronto, Ontario

1975 Shayne Gallery, Montreal, Quebec
Pollock Gallery, Toronto, Ontario
Gallery 115, Winnipeg, Manitoba

1976 Pollock Gallery Toronto, Ontario
Oakville Centennial Gairloch Galleries, Oakville, Ontario
CONTEMPORARY NATIVE ART OF CANADA - THE WOODLAND INDIANS @ Royal Ontario Museum Ethnology Department, Toronto, Ontario; Canada House Gallery, London, England and Aula LuisenSchule, Lahr, Germany

1977 The Pollock Gallery, Toronto, Ontario
Norval Morrisseau, Copper Thunderbird – Man Who Became a Thunderbird
Graphic Gallery, Vancouver, British Columbia

1978 First Canadian Place, Toronto, Ontario

1979 Pollock Gallery, Toronto, Ontario
Oakville Centennial, Gairloch Galleries, Oakville, Ontario
The Gallery Stratford, Stratford, Ontario
Cardigan-Milne Gallery, Winnipeg, Manitoba

1980 Canadian Galleries, Edmonton, Alberta
Bayard Gallery, New York, N.Y, USA

1981 Pollock Gallery, Toronto, Ontario
Anthony’s Gallery, Toronto, Ontario; Vancouver, British Columbia
Thunder Bay National Exhibition Centre and Centre for Indian Art
Thunder Bay, Ontario

1982 Robertson Gallery, Ottawa, Ontario
Norval Morrisseau
The New Man Gallery, London, Ontario
Nexus Art Gallery, Toronto, Ontario
Moore Gallery Ltd., Hamilton, Ontario
Masters Gallery, Calgary, Alberta
Scarborough Public Library, Ontario
Legacy Art Gallery, Toronto, Ontario

1983 Art Imperial Gallery, Toronto, Ontario
Native American Centre for the Living Arts, Niagara Falls, N.Y., USA
Thunder Bay National Exhibition Centre and Centre for Indian Art
Thunder Bay, Ontario Norval Morrisseau: Recent Work

1984 Ontario North Now, Ontario Place, Toronto, Ontario
Library AA Gallery, Brampton, Ontario

1985 Norman MacKenzie Art Gallery, Regina, Saskatchewan
Two Worlds

1986 Native Business Summit, Toronto, Ontario
New Beginnings
The Gallery, First Canadian Place, Toronto, Ontario
The Shaman Art of Morrisseau and Marion
Ontario North Now, Ontario Place, Toronto, Ontario
The Birch Bark Sings

1987 Gulf Canada Gallery, Alberta
Southwest Museum, Los Angeles, California
A Celebration of Contemporary Native Art

1988 Sinclair Centre, Vancouver, British Columbia

1989 The Art Emporium, Vancouver, British Columbia
Thunder Bay Art Gallery, Thunder Bay, Ontario
Woodlands: Contemporary Art of the Anishnabe

1990 Kinsman Robinson Galleries Toronto, Ontario
Norval Morrisseau: The Shaman’s Return

1991 Kinsman Robinson Galleries, Toronto, Ontario
Norval Morrisseau
Wallack Galleries, Ottawa, Ontario

1992 Kinsman Robinson Galleries, Toronto, Ontario
The Spirit Within: Early Paintings by Norval Morrisseau
Jenkins/Showler Galleries, Whiterock, British Columbia
Wallack Galleries, Ottawa, Ontario

1993 Thunder Bay Art Gallery, Thunder Bay, Ontario
Art of the Anishnabe: Works from the Permanent Collection

1994 Kinsman Robinson Galleries, Toronto, Ontario
Honouring First Nations – Norval Morrisseau
Thunder Bay Art Gallery, Thunder Bay, Ontario

1997 Kinsman Robinson Galleries, Toronto, Ontario
Norval Morrisseau: Travels to the House of Invention
Mendel Art Gallery, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan
Claiming Ourselves

1999 Kinsman Robinson Galleries, Toronto, Ontario
Norval Morrisseau, Bridging the Past to the Future
Norval Morrisseau: New Works on Paper

2001 Art Gallery of Southwestern Manitoba, Brandon, Manitoba
Norval Morrisseau: The Red Lake Years

2002 Thunder Bay Art Gallery, Thunder Bay, Ontario
Evolution: Four Decades of Work by Norval Morrisseau

2006 Steffich Fine Art, Salt Spring Island, BC
Norval Morrisseau : Pictorial Legends

2006 The National Gallery, Ottawa Canada
Norval Morrisseau, Shaman Artist


Selected collections:

Art Gallery of Hamilton, Hamilton, Ontario
Art Gallery of Ontario, Toronto, Ontario
Art Gallery of Windsor, Toronto, Ontario
Canada Council Art Bank, Ottawa, Ontario
Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce of Collection
Canadian Museum of Civilization, Ottawa, Ontario
Citicorp of Canada Ltd., Toronto, Ontario
City Hall Collection, Toronto, Ontario
City of Toronto Collection, Toronto, Ontario
Confederation Centre Art Gallery and Museum, Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island
Constellation Hotel, Toronto, Ontario
Crown Life Insurance, Toronto, Ontario
Department of Indian Affairs and Northern Development, Gatineau, Quebec
Dodd’s Coal Mines, South Edmonton, Alberta
Etobicoke Board of Education, Etobicoke, Ontario
Glenbow Museum, Calgary, Alberta
Government of Ontario Collection, Toronto, Ontario
Guardian Capital Group, Toronto, Ontario
Hart House Art Gallery, University of Toronto, Ontario
Humber College Collection, Toronto, Ontario
Imperial Oil of Canada, Toronto and Calgary
Laurentian University, Sudbury, Ontario
McMichael Canadian Collection, Kleinburg, Ontario
Manitoba Centennial Corporation, Winnipeg, Manitoba
Montreal Museum of Fine Art, Montreal, Quebec
Montreal Trust Company Collection
Musée du Quebec, Quebec City, Quebec
National Gallery of Canada
Noranda Mines Collection, Toronto, Ontario
Noreen Energy Resources Ltd.
Northern Telecom, Toronto, Ontario
Oakville Centennial Gallery, Oakville, Ontario
Ondaatje Corporation, Toronto, Ontario
Ontario Centennial Committee Collection
Proctor and Gamble, Toronto, Ontario
Province of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Manitoba
Robertson Art Centre, Binghampton, NY
Ross Memorial Hospital, Lindway, Ontario
Royal Ontario Museum, Toronto, Ontario
Seneca College, Toronto, Ontario
Simon Fraser Gallery, Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, British Columbia
The Toronto Star, Toronto, Ontario
Thunder bay Art Gallery, Thunder Bay, Ontario
Winnipeg Art Gallery, Winnipeg, Manitoba


Films/Videos:

1973 The Colours of Pride
Jacobsen, Henning Productions Ltd.
National Film Board of Canada and Indian and Northern Affairs

1974 The Paradox of Norval Morrisseau
Jacobsen, Henning Productions Ltd.; Duke Redbird (Director)
Department of Indian Affairs and Northern Development

1982 Spirits Speaking Through: Canadian Woodland Artists
CBC Spectrum Series

1990 Shaman Never Die
Lamothe, Arthur (Director/Producer), Atelier Audio Visuelle, Montreal
The Originals (film) Norval Morrisseau
Znaimer, Moses; Jim Hanley, City TV, Toronto, Ontario

2004 Stories from the 7th Fire “Winter”
Coyes, Greg, animation based on art of Norval Morrisseau

2005 A Separate Reality: the Life and Times of Norval Morrisseau
Carvallo, Paul (Producer), for the Life and Times Canada’s Premiere Biography Series, CBC

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1 - The Royal Canadian Academy of Arts is one of Canada’s most enduring cultural institutions is comprised of members in over twenty visual arts disciplines from across Canada.

2 - The Royal Society of Canada (The Canadian Academy of the Sciences and Humanities) is the senior national body of distinguished Canadian scientists and scholars. Its primary objective is to promote learning and research in the arts and sciences. The Society consists of approximately 1700 Fellows: men and women from across the country who are selected by their peers for outstanding contributions to the natural and social sciences and in the humanities.
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Interview with Ugo Matulic, collector of Norval Morrisseau's art (Norval Morrisseau Blog Master)

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© The Saatchi Gallery : London Contemporary Art Gallery

>>> Originally posted on November 8th, 2009 at 'Art+Culture' Blog and on the NORVAL MORRISSEAU BLOG on March 1st, 2010 (click HERE)

















"Water Demigod", © 1983 Norval Morrisseau
/Click on image to Enlarge/


>>> Ever wonder what goes through the mind of you average art collector? Well, even though Ugo Matulic is much more than an average collector, one might say he's a little obsessive, I have found his insight and ideas on art,the creation of art and the relationship between collector and artists very interesting. He is a dedicated educator and defender of the art of Norval Morrisseau and he has gone to many great lengths to preserve the legacy of the artist. So here's an interview with Ugo Matulic to help give us artists an idea of what goes on in a collectors head.

RR: When was the first time you recall seeing Norval Morrisseau’s work and why do you believe it affected you so greatly you started collecting it?

UM: In Sept of 1999 there was an exhibition under the title of “Powerful Images” at the Glenbow Museum in Calgary, where among other things dedicated to different artists and they had a major exhibition of Norval Morrisseau's works. A selection of Norval Morrisseau’s artworks from the Glenbow Museum archives was presented. They have ninety six originals in their collection and I was impressed with the imagery and I left under the impression and thought that hopefully I would be able to afford one Norval Morrisseau.

RR: Why do you think you chose to start collecting Norval Morrisseau’s work? What do you think it is in his imagery?

UM: I found it extremely powerful, it just grows on you. The imagery is …, the first impression is overwhelming and what you notice is the more you are exposed to it the more it starts growing on you. You experience it at many different levels of intensity depending on your on mood. It was amazing the way he was able to combine the colors and the powerful images. They had an effect on me.

RR: Did you have an interest in art before you started collecting Norval Morrisseau’s work?

UM: Oh definitely, all my life. Speaking about this particular style of art though, North American Native, Aboriginal, Indian art, the first native piece of art I purchased was by Isaac Bignell, a Cree Indian from Manitoba. He used a different style, a style that was more influenced by Benjamin Chee Chee than Norval Morrisseau, it was very simplistic, a minimalist style with powerful images of birds and animals and bison and stuff. It was very powerful; it affected me to start collecting the art. I was pretty much collecting Isaac Bignell’s until a dealer from Winnipeg , by the name of Anthony Martinenko offered me a Norval Morrisseau painting, which I was familiar with thanks to the Glenbow show. I bought one of them (click HERE) and that was the beginning of me collecting Norval Morrisseau’s art exclusively.

RR: How many years have you been studying Norval’s work?

UM: Now it has been a full ten years. I have been dedicated to this particular cause, to this particular artist for the last ten years. I have had the chance to acquire some other artists work at a good price, but then I had great contacts to acquire great Morrisseau’s for reasonable prices. I had studied a lot, studying book about Ojibway people, my most important two books where “The Art of Norval Morrisseau” that was co-written by Lister Sinclair and Jack Pollock (who was his first dealer in 1962) and “The Legends of My People: The Great Ojibway” that Norval Morrisseau wrote about the legends of his people. I was able to learn a lot about the legends of the Ojibway at the same time acquiring many paintings that are directly connect with the explanation of certain legends. It was quite a thrill when I was able to study the art, the history of his people, and legends while at same time acquire art which nicely blended together.

RR: How can an average person start an exquisite art collection?

UM: An average person can start a collection easily. Thanks to the power of the internet you can do research on an artist of interest and you can then try to find it on E-bay or at different venues, visiting different galleries, and galleries in other cities. Thanks to the power of internet there are lots of opportunities to acquire artworks, through different galleries' websites and at the same time if you are lucky enough like myself to acquire them from good contacts with direct sources, you can acquire pieces of art at a much more reasonable price than buying them directly through the galleries. I have acquired only limited number of paintings from galleries, maybe fifteen or twenty paintings.

RR: What is a current project you are working on?

UM: The current and major project is the Norval Morrisseau Blog that I am the blog master of, which involves different issues particularly major issues in trying to defend every piece that in my opinion deserves to be acknowledged. There is lots of controversy, slash conspiracy that actually involves a number of individuals and galleries who have tried to control the market by putting down a large body of the artist’s work, which is not acceptable, which is not acceptable because I respect the artist very much and can’t stand by watching that happening. I realise I do not want to talk too much about paintings that are authentic or not authentic, I just try to provide enough proof, enough information to seasoned and novice collectors for them to feel comfortable about what they are acquiring that it is authentic. It’s quite a challenge considering that not many people are assisting in the task. Even many people who possess valuable information that can assist to put this situation in order. Right now, things are damaged, the Norval Morrisseau art market is damaged, but I believe his legacy can never be destroyed because he is way too important for Canada and the world.

RR: Norval once said “I do not wish my work to exploited, but properly used as an art form in it’s proper place where for the generations of great Ojibwa people it can be seen in it’s proper place….” What do you have to say to people who you believe are exploiting his legacy?

UM: I believe that Norval Morrisseau’s art is full of positive energy and all the negative elements will be washed away sooner or later. I think their actions are definitely not serving; they might temporarily work towards drawing people. Drawing collectors to buy from them, but once everything is exposed…, I think this is not honourable to put down a large body of the artist’s work for somebody else's financial gain. After all the market is so damaged that many people have taken advantage of the situation by acquiring pieces. I would say if you want to, say buy a piece on the internet, its Ahh I don’t know it’s….. What they are trying to achieve is definitely damaging, it will actually damage their reputation as someone who supposedly cared about the artist work. It’s a shame what is going on about the authenticity of Norval Morrisseau’s art. I believe he is extremely important to Canada and he is an important painter because if he wasn’t none of this stuff would be happening.

RR: What is something you enjoy about having studied an artist so intently?
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UM: The Power of his art is just amazing. I mean I have been collecting for a decade; I’ve spent the last decade of my life dedicated to collect and to study his art. He constantly surprised me with power of his expressions and ability to deliver his art and the way he executes his art. Many artists develop a certain style. I mean you see some painting and you know right away, this is a painting by such and such artist. I have probably one of the most comprehensive collections of Norval Morrisseau that spans from the beginning of his career from 1957 all the way to 2002. Basically there have been so many different styles. When people say that Norval Morrisseau did not paint in a certain style in the 1970’s or 80’s or 90’s it’s not really a right statement because he was a genius able to experiment in so many different ways. His power of constantly changing and growing and breaking his own convention and executing his painting styles in so many different ways. I mean he created a visual vocabulary that never existed before; he was able to evolve constantly. His inspiration was such that he never had an artistic block. He was inspired to paint all the time and he never asked anybody, what do you think about this painting, what do you think about that one. He was a man on a mission to paint and preserve his cultural heritage. He was a great Canadian painter a national treasure and it is unfortunate that people of power are not doing something to protect his legacy.

RR: What is do you believe your role as a major collector is in Norval Morrisseau’s legacy?

UM: Well I am proud, and feel a great honour to be working on the blog. Trying to do something to put things in order, which unfortunately the way it works, I can’t achieve much it seems without some court case proceedings. Some court case proceedings need to give a blessing about what's authentic and what’s not. I am happy and glad to share my love and passion for his art. I hope it will inspire the others to try to solve these issues so that people can finally start enjoying the art without thinking about whether it's authentic or not. I feel I am just a messenger. Somebody had to be a messenger and somebody had to be there to express certain concerns, and I believe that I have provided a great forum where people can go and gain some education about different thing about Norval Morrisseau’s art. I have received e-mails from many people thanking me for being able to give them enough information that they can believe whether what they have is authentic or not.

RR: Why is art a good way to invest money?

UM: First of all, the beauty of art is that you buy it because you like it, you love it. The power of art is such, that good art can make you feel good, if you find something inspiring in a particular piece of art. Now I don’t consider myself an ordinary collector because not many collectors will all of the sudden start amassing a large number of paintings by one particular artist, but the power of Norval Morrisseau’s imagery was such and I had opportunities to acquire art for extremely affordable prices. Then I thought, we are talking about a national treasure who is an extremely important artist, that inspires me and I love the art, and you know I acquired one piece, two pieces, four, five, six, ten then I ended up at the point where I was just acquiring art, as much good Norval Morrisseau art that I was able to afford. Speaking about whether art is a good investment, I believe he is very important, for affordable prices or just for pure enjoyment. I believe he is a good investment because once the situation get sorted out Norval Morrisseau’s art is not going to be affordable for ordinary people. My driving force to collect the art was not art as an investment, as a monetary value. I think it’s very important, Norval Morrisseau art is more important on a spiritual level, for what this art means to me. Regardless of anything Good Art is Always a good investment if you observe it as an investment as vehicle for you investing your money but there are more powerful aspects of art than just pure investment for money, there is pure enjoyment of owning the art that can inspire you and make you feel good about yourself. Art is inspiration and if something inspires you, like good art,…you know Norval Morrisseau’s art was so colourful that many people claim to be cured by his art. It’s scientifically proven that color therapy is very effective and his art is extremely powerful particularly paintings that are more vibrant, he used more vibrant colors starting from the late seventies to the end of his career. Personally I like those subdued earth colors he used at the beginning of his career because those had more spiritual powers. Those images have a different power not necessarily from the colors he used though; it’s the power of the imagery he implemented even with a limited pallet of colors.

Interviewed and presented by Richard Rossetto


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Source: www.saatchionline.com
-----------/click HERE to read an interview with Ugo Matulić a.k.a. Spirit Walker/


>>> Reference posts:
- An Artist Lesson on Saving from Aboriginal Artist Norval Morrisseau,
- Art+Culture's Interview with Blog Master,
- Homage to Norval Morrisseau (Part IV) &
- Thunder Bay's Norval Morrisseau vs. Jack Pollock's Norval Morrisseau (Part IX).

* The painting in this posting: "Water Demigod", 36"x60", © 1983 Norval Morrisseau /Ugo Matulić a.k.a. Spirit Walker's Private Collection /

Norval Morrisseau Blog's 8th Year Anniversary

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"The spirit comes through you. It is very creative force, you see. You could be a singer, you could be a writer, you could be a painter, you could be anything if you allow that spirit to flow." ~ Norval Morrisseau
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Norval Morrisseau/Copper Thunderbird (1931-2007)

~ Illustration by Spirit Walker ~


Hi to all,

I appreciate all of you visiting the NORVAL MORRISSEAU BLOG. It is proving to be an exciting success as I have always anticipated it would be. The subject is dynamic and evolving to say the least. I wish to thank all the contributors for encouraging me to continue with this monumental project which is dedicated entirely to protecting the integrity of Norval Morrisseau's art and the preservation of his artistic legacy.

I am using this opportunity to express a sadness and special thank you to my very good friend Michael Moniz of Brampton, Ontario who departed to the spirit world on April 13, 2013. I will sorely miss our friendship and his relentless and unwavering dedication and assistance that he has provided me since this blog's inception on November 12th, 2007.

Allow me again to introduce myself to those who don't know me.

I was born in Split, Croatia. As a child I saw, and continue to see, the Indians of North America as members of an outstanding race. My favourite childhood memory was the time when 'Winnetou' movies were filmed in Croatia (then part of Yugoslavia). As a memento from that time were countless memories and a photograph with my brother and I in front of Indian totem pole in my hometown of Omiš, Croatia after the filming of one of the 'Winnetou' movies based on novels by the best-selling German author of all time - Karl May.

When I emigrated to Canada my aim was to become a true Canadian and contribute to the advancement of this outstanding country. I also wanted to advance the cause of the First Nations Citizens. The best way I could do this appeared through advancing the cause of native art. Researching the background of Norval Morrisseau and other native artists and their lives has shown the adversity these artists had to overcome to become recognized. Some wonderful people emerged through this research, as did the hardships the art goddess imposed on many of these talented artists.

The subject of my passion is Norval Morrisseau's art. He was one of the very few artists who started a completely new art movement: the Woodland/Anishnaabe School of Art, and has been dubbed the Father of Canadian Aboriginal Art. My extensive knowledge and research along with my personal collection which I have amassed over the years are what I draw my knowledge base from. It seems like almost every day I find a new and fantastical correlation within this man's work. It is never ending. The scope and depth of Morrisseau's visions throughout his lifetime have left an impact on my soul that I cannot describe in words. "Perhaps I should paint as Morrisseau did to express feelings otherwise would not be explicable within my vocabulary?" His Art Work is my passion...
 

... The artistic genius of Norval Morrisseau was best described by Jack Pollock (1930-1992) who wrote: "...Norval, with his incredible ability with the formal problems of art (colour-design-space) and his commitment to the world of his people, the great Ojibway, give one the sense of power that only genius provides... It is sufficient to say that in the history of Canadian Painting, few have, and will remain giants. Norval shall."

Thank you for your continuing support.


Ugo Matulić a.k.a. Spirit Walker
/spiritwalker2008@gmail.com/

> For the purposes of this blog I would like to be referred to as Spirit Walker. Miigwetch!


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* The illustration of this posting is constisted of: The photograph of Norval Morrisseau taken at the opening of his first art exhibition at Pollock Gallery in Toronto, 1962; The background image taken from the illustration of the book "Crooked River" by Shelley Pearsall /ISBN: 0-375-82389-1/. The "Copper Thunderbird" Syllabics signature of Norval Morrisseau extracted from an original painting: "Syllabics": 53"x112", © 1980 Norval Morrisseau /Private Collection/

On August 5th, 2015 Deputy Judge CW Kilian Found Ritchie Sinclair Guilty & fined him $25,000 plus costs... (Part III)

/SC-10-109226-00/
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~ Ruling on Court Case “James White Vs. Ritchie Sinclair,” For Libel & Defamation

~ "Since October 2008, Ritchie Sinclair has been famously involved as the “Enforcer” for Toronto’s Kinsman Robinson Galleries, and as a close associate of Toronto lawyer Jonathan Jerome Sommer, working in tandem with them to promote the HOAX of “thousands of Morrisseau fakes by umpteen forgers” that has been totally discredited by forensic experts and multiple judges in multiple courts."

John Goldi CSC; theMorrisseauHoaxExposedBlog.com



"Deputy Judge CW Kilian is now the seventh (7th) judge to have dismissed, rejected, or scorched Ritchie Sinclair as not a believable or trustworthy witness, and/or found him to make false and/or unsubstantiated claims about events, about art, himself, his credentials, etc., and especially about his self-proclaimed experience or expertise on the art of Norval Morrisseau: The Hon Justice Thomas A Lederer 2008, Judge MD Godfrey 2011, Deputy Judge Warren McCrea 2012, Deputy Judge Paul J Martial 2013, The Hon Justice Alphonse T Lacavera 2013, The Hon Madam Justice Mary Anne Sanderson 2013, Deputy Judge CW Kilian 2015."

 Source (Image & text): theMorrisseauHoaxExposedBlog.com

 Copyright © 2015 by John Goldi CSC: All rights reserved.

Brian Shiller

"Brian Shiller, represented Jim White in his winning lawsuit. He is batting 4 for 4 in fighting the malicious fraudsters and scammers promoting that there are “thousands of fakes by umpteen forgers” out there. He won a decisive case against Jonathan Sommer before Judge Martial. He won a decisive Appeal over Jonathan Sommer before Justice Sanderson. He succeeded a third time against Jonathan Sommer, when he convinced a Sommer client’ John McDermott to suddenly abandon his McDermott v Maslak McLeod case, rather than risk going to trial. And now he has won a decisive Libel and Defamation case against Ritchie Sinclair, famous for being Jonathan Sommer’s witness and close collaborator in the courts and the media in advancing the HOAX."

Source (Image & text): theMorrisseauHoaxExposedBlog.com

 Copyright © 2015 by John Goldi CSC: All rights reserved.

 To continue reading click HERE.





ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
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>>> RITCHIE SINCLAIR is an individual who single-handedly caused the greatest harm to the Norval Morrisseau Art Market and whose name is infamously connected with the Legacy of Norval Morrisseau - recently supported by Donald C. Robinson in a court case Otavnik Vs Sinclair (Court File No. SC 09-00082782-0000) and served, together with Donald C. Robinson, as the plaintiff's only witnesses in a court case Hatfield, Margaret Lorraine vs. Child, Donna and Artworld of Sherway * (Court File No. SC-09-087264-0000)...

Note: Both of these paintings which were involved in these two court cases had been proven authentic Norval Morrisseau artworks by forensic science on August 24th, 2010/May 27th, 2011 & December 19th, 2011 (click HERE).  

... This is a story about an individual whose alleged "efforts to identify Norval’s true artistic legacy" are recognized by Donald C. Robinson of Kinsman Robinson Galleries ["AN EXAMINATION INTO THE AUTHENTICITY OF AN ALLEGED 1970'S NORVAL MORRISSEAU PAINTING" - EXPERT REPORT; September 10th, 2009; Page 74].

* - Both, Donald Robinson and Ritchie Sinclair were discredited in this pivotal court case relevant to authenticity of Norval Morrisseau artworks (click HERE).

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>>> REFERENCE POSTS (STRONGLY RECOMMENDED):
- Ritchie Sinclair's showing his true faces at CBC "Four Rooms" - Episode 8, Season 1 (2014), - Seven Years of Onslaught on Norval Morrisseau Legacy by Ritchie Sinclair a.k.a. Stardreamer , - Continuous malicious behaviour of Mr. Ritchie Sinclair towards the Legacy of Norval Morrisseau (Part I),  - CTV News provides platform to Mr. Ritchie Sinclair for his continuous malicious behaviour towards the Legacy of Norval Morrisseau (Part II), - Disrespectful behaviour of KRG and Stardreamer towards Anishinaabe painter Don Ningewance, & - Ugo Matulic wins $1,000,000 SLAPP suit against Kinsman Robinson Galleries (Part I).
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What do Kevin Hearn and John McDermott have in common?

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HEARN vs. MASLAK McLEOD GALLERY &
McDERMOTT vs. MASLAK McLEOD GALLERY

~ Plaintiff's legal counsel in both court cases is Mr. Jonathan Sommer

IN PROGRESS! (Last updated on October 10th, 2015) 

"Famed tenor drops suit alleging art dealer sold him fake Morrisseau paintings" by James Adams /Originally published on October 31st, 2014)

Kevin Hearn                 John McDermott

~ The Plaintiffs' legal counsel, Mr. Jonathan Sommer, represented the Plaintiff in a recent court case Hatfield, Margaret Lorraine vs. Child, Donna and Artworld of Sherway. This court case concluded with devastating consequences for the Plaintiff Ms. Margaret Hatfield of Sarnia, Ontario costing her $56,894.65 of her retirement money (click HERE for this landmark court decision* confirming the authenticity of thousands of Norval  Morrisseau paintings). 

* - the Plaintiff's only witnesses in this related court case were Mr. Donald Robinson of Kinsman Robinson Galleries and Mr. Ritchie Sinclair. Both, Mr. Robinson and Mr. Sinclair were discredited by the Paul J. Martial's judgement on April 2nd, 2013 (click HERE).

Who is Mr. Kevin Hearn ('Plaintiff') - a keyboardist:

> An art collector who falsely accused Mr. Joseph McLeod that his genuine Norval Morrisseau painting, purchased from Maslak McLeod Gallery, was a forgery.

Who is Mr. John McDermott ('Plaintiff') - a singer:

> Another art collector who falsely accused Mr. Joseph McLeod that his genuine Norval Morrisseau paintings, purchased from Maslak McLeod Gallery, were forgeries.

>>> Both, Mr. Hearn's and Mr. McDermott's opinions about autheniticity of their genuine Norval Morrisseau paintings came from no one else than Mr. Ritchie Sinclair of Toronto, Ontario - owner and operator of a notorious malicious website that claims that over 1,000 Morrisseau paintings - 99% of which he has never seen in person - are FORGERIES.

In one of his web posts, of October 23th, 2008, Mr. Sinclair candidly admitted as much, saying he was posting the images only “for inspiration and enjoyment.”

He stated further that, "With the exception of paintings that I witnessed painted or exhibited by Morrisseau I have no way of discerning whether the images shown here are all authentic Morrisseau originals." (click HERE).

"His (Ritchie Sinclair's) methodology in identifying forgeries is clearly inadequate and suspect since he testified that he does not even view the original paintings before condemning them as fakes." (Judgment by Judge Paul J Martial: March 25th, 2013 - Page 16; "Hatfield vs. Artworld of Sherway" /Court File No. SC-09-087264-0000/)

Note: Mr. Ritchie Sinclair did not just label genuine Morrisseau paintings as forgeries... he had also labeled genuine Norval Morrisseau limited edition prints as "Inferior Prints" (click HERE).

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 On August 5th, 2015 Deputy Judge CW Kilian Found Ritchie Sinclair Guilty & fined him $25,000 plus costs... (Click HERE)

~ "Since October 2008, Ritchie Sinclair has been famously involved as the “Enforcer” for Toronto’s Kinsman Robinson Galleries, and as a close associate of Toronto lawyer Jonathan Jerome Sommer, working in tandem with them to promote the HOAX of “thousands of Morrisseau fakes by umpteen forgers” that has been totally discredited by forensic experts and multiple judges in multiple courts."

John Goldi CSC; theMorrisseauHoaxExposedBlog.com



"Deputy Judge CW Kilian is now the seventh (7th) judge to have dismissed, rejected, or scorched Ritchie Sinclair as not a believable or trustworthy witness, and/or found him to make false and/or unsubstantiated claims about events, about art, himself, his credentials, etc., and especially about his self-proclaimed experience or expertise on the art of Norval Morrisseau: The Hon Justice Thomas A Lederer 2008, Judge MD Godfrey 2011, Deputy Judge Warren McCrea 2012, Deputy Judge Paul J Martial 2013, The Hon Justice Alphonse T Lacavera 2013, The Hon Madam Justice Mary Anne Sanderson 2013, Deputy Judge CW Kilian 2015."

 Source (Image & text): theMorrisseauHoaxExposedBlog.com

 Copyright © 2015 by John Goldi CSC: All rights reserved.

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ADDITIONAL IMPORTANT NOTE: Mr. Sinclair allegedly states that his website "brings the important issue of Morrisseau forgery proliferation into the public spotlight."

It is obvious that Mr. Sinclair is not interested at all in protecting his mentor's legacy as he continues to ignore the conclusive findings of the three top internationally recognized Forensic Document Examiners and Handwriting Experts from Ottawa, Toronto and Calgary (click HERE).

~ At least 40 paintings, certified by forensic science [2], continue to be maliciously labeled as FORGERIES on Mr. Sinclair's notorious malicious website... For .PDF screen grabs click 1. HERE, 2. HERE, 3. HERE, 4. HERE, 5. HERE, 6. HERE, 7. HERE, 8. HERE, 9. HERE, 10. HERE, 11. HERE, 12. HERE, 13. HERE, 14. HERE, 15. HERE, 16. HERE, 17. HERE, 18. HERE, 19. HERE, 20. HERE, 21. HERE, 22. HERE & 23. HERE.

[2] - The above presented genuine Norval Morrisseau artworks were examined and certified by the following Forensic Document Examiners and Handwriting Experts: Mr. Brian Lindblom of 'The Document Examination Consultants Inc.' (Ottawa, Ontario), Dr. Atul K. Singla of Worldwide Forensic Services Inc. (Toronto, Ontario) &  Mr. Kenneth J. Davies of 'Hawkeye Studios (Grapho-Lab® Services)' (Calgary, Alberta). 

>> Other individuals, associated with Mr. Sinclair, who influenced Plaintiff's decision in HEARN vs. MASLAK McLEOD GALLERY were Mr. Mark Anthony Jacobson a.k.a. PEY-SIM-AWAY-APEY-BINASI, artist from Vancouver BC and Mr. Bryant Ross, director of Coghlan Art Studio & Gallery in Aldergrove BC.

More information to follow...  


~ Both of the Plaintiffs, Mr. Kevin Hearn and Mr. John McDermott, sued Maslak McLeod Gallery for purchasing genuine Norval Morrisseau's artworks which they allege to be forgeries.

Their actions towards the most prominent expert in Norval Morrisseau's art, Mr. Joseph McLeod, could have been viewed as their (un)knowing and apparently misguided attempt to damage the Legacy of the Canadian National Treasure - Norval Morrisseau a.k.a. Copper Thunderbird.

They are surely musical celebrities known in Canada and internationally, but when it comes to their place in Canadian history they will always be remembered as uninformed, misguided and uneducated art collectors.
  

Who is Mr. Joseph McLeod ('Defendant'):



Joseph McLeod

> An art expert with a comprehensive knowledge of an artist's work who generated adequate consensus within the art community to establish the authenticity of Norval Morrisseau's works of art.

Mr. Joseph McLeod is widely regarded as one of the foremost experts in Canadian 'Woodland Art' and his Maslak McLeod Gallery has built an impressive reputation in the art world for more than 30 years.

He has been a qualified expert witness for the Crown in Federal Court with respect to Norval Morrisseau's art in a pivotal Tax Court of Canada case relevant to cultural property donation program [see Zelinski, Whent, Pustina v. The Queen, (No. 92-424)].

Recently, Mr. Joseph McLeod testified in a pivotal court case relevant to authenticity of Norval Morrisseau artworks [see Hatfield, Margaret Lorraine vs. Child, Donna and Artworld of Sherway].

Mr. McLeod has also been called upon by numerous auction houses such as Sotheby's to help authenticate Norval Morrisseau artworks with his professional expertise.

Mr. McLeod was a member of Art Dealers Association of Canada (ADAC) and currently has a membership with The Canadian Association of Personal Property Appraisers (CPPA).  

>> Mr. Joseph McLeod has been instrumental in bringing Canadian Native Art to Germany, Italy, Brazil, Japan, China, France and Puerto Rico. 

 >>> Affiliations Curatorial and Appraisal Work of Joseph McLeod:

Art Dealers Association of Canada;
Canada Council for Aboriginal Buisness;
The Government of Canada;
Museum of Thunder Bay, Thunder Bay, Ontario CANADA;
Smithsonian National Museum of American Art, U.S.A.;
The Paul R. Macpherson Woodland Collection of Art,
McMaster University Museum, Hamilton, Ontario;
Sotheby's.com - Master Dealer;
Institute of American Indian Art, Santa Fe, New Mexico, U.S.A.;
The Pequot Museum, Conneticut, U.S.A.;
The Heard Museum, Pheonix, Arizona, U.S.A.;
Govenor's Gallery, Santa Fe, New Mexico, U.S.A.;
Volkunder Museum, Munich, GERMANY &
Exposicao de Arte Indigena, Belo Horizonte, BRAZIL.


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>>> In a recent court judgement "Hatfield vs. Artworld of Sherway" /Court File No. SC-09-087264-0000/ Judge Paul J. Martial stated the following about Mr. Joseph McLeod of Maslak McLeod Gallery:

“He demonstrated a superior depth of knowledge of Morrisseau…” (Judgment by Judge Paul J Martial: March 25th, 2013 - Page 25)

“The testimony of Mr. Joseph McLeod is indicative of his care and the detailed effort to confirm provenance, including the hiring of a forensic expert to examine the signature on the back of the painting indicate that he took his role to provide appraisals seriously. His testimony… demonstrates his depth of knowledge of the painter due to his lengthy association with the artist.” (Judgment by Judge Paul J Martial: March 25th, 2013 - Page 35)

"His (Ritchie Sinclair's) methodology in identifying forgeries is clearly inadequate and suspect since he testified that he does not even view the original paintings before condemning them as fakes." (Judgment by Judge Paul J Martial: March 25th, 2013 - Page 16)

"Mr. Robinson (of Kinsman Robinson Galleries) was qualified as an expert in the area of valuation and appraisal. His testimony however overlapped into the area of handwriting and included an analysis of syllabic and English handwriting, areas for which he was not qualified.

"He has no formal training as an expert witness in handwriting analysis and his evidence is rejected. (Judgment by Judge Paul J Martial: March 25th, 2013 - Page 37)

"Dr. Singla's forensic evidence is preferred in this regard and his finding that it is highly probable that the painting "Wheel of Life" was painted by Norval Morrisseau was supported by his detailed technical analysis of known signatures of' Norval Morrisseau. (Judgment by Judge Paul J Martial: March 25th, 2013 - Page 37)

"The Court finds that there is overwhelming evidence that Norval Morrisseau signed paintings in black brush paint.” (Judgment by Judge Paul J Martial: March 25th, 2013 - Page 34)

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IMPORTANT NOTE:

After three years of investigation by the Royal Canadian Mounted Police and the Thunder Bay Police Service and after six court cases over the period of seven years nobody has ever been successful in pointing out one case where it was proven that someone made, sold, distributed or even marketed one "fake" Norval Morrisseau painting.

1.1 - Otavnik vs. Vadas SC 07-51428-00,
2.1 - Michael Moniz vs. CTV Globemedia Publishing Inc.,
3.1 - Drs. Browne and Witmer vs. Bearclaw Gallery,
4.1 - Otavnik vs. Sinclair SC 09-00082782-0000,
4.2 - CASE SUMMARY: Otavnik vs. Sinclair SC 09-00082782-0000,
5.1 - Hatfield  vs. Child SC-09-087264-0000 &
6.1.- Kinsman Robinson Galleries vs. Ugo Matulic CV-10-417123.

~ In all of these court cases Forensic science have been used proving that paintings in question were signed by Norval Morrisseau and nobody else (click HERE).

Ugo Matulić a.k.a. Spirit Walker

References: 

~ Jonathan Sommer's court case (representing Mr. Kevin Hearn) which came with false allegations about Mr. Joseph McLeod's integrity as a Norval Morrisseau expert: Maslak McLeod Gallery sued for selling a genuine Norval Morrisseau painting to Kevin Hearn - Band member of the Barenaked Ladies.

~ Another Jonathan Sommer's court case (representing Mr. John McDermott) which also came with false allegations about Mr. Joseph McLeod's integrity as a Norval Morrisseau expert:- written by James Adams: ‘Fraud ring’ produced fake Morrisseau paintings, claim alleges (Globe & Mail) &


"NONE OF ALLEGATIONS FROM THE STATEMENTS OF CLAIM BY MR. KEVIN HEARN AND MR. McDERMOTT HAVE BEEN PROVEN IN COURT"


>>> Other References:

- Forensic Document Examination (Part I), - Experts in Norval Morrisseau's Art (Part I) /Ref.: Mr. Joseph McLeod/, - "Norval Morrisseau: The Development of the Woodland School of Art", 2002, - Genuine Morrisseau paintings: Appraised, Authenticated and Forensically Analyzed...,  - Norval Morrisseau authenticating his artworks, - Endorsement by Thunder Bay Art Gallery of genuine Morrisseau paintings from 1970's, - Authenticity Statement by Mr. Goyce Kakegamic, - Statutory Declaration by Mr. Robert Scott, - Statutory Declaration by Mr. Deiter John Voss, - Norval Morrisseau Declarations Are A Hoax /Michele and Gabor Vadas Exposed/ (Part I), - Norval Morrisseau Declarations Are A Hoax /Michele and Gabor Vadas Exposed/ (Part II), - Ugo Matulic wins $1,000,000 SLAPP suit against Kinsman Robinson Galleries (Part I), - Downloadable Norval Morrisseau Forensic Reports (Part I), - Downloadable Norval Morrisseau Forensic Reports (Part II), - Downloadable Norval Morrisseau Forensic Reports (Part III), - Downloadable Norval Morrisseau Forensic Reports (Part IV) & - Hatfield, Margaret Lorraine vs. Child, Donna and Artworld of Sherway (Part IV).
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