A junior hockey team in Ontario says it made “an error in judgment” regarding the origin of a piece of artwork that was put on Indigenous charity jerseys that brought the team into a controversy involving acclaimed First Nations artist Norval Morrisseau.CHL/Handout
An Ontario junior hockey team says it made “an error in judgment” in its use of artwork for a charity jersey that caught the attention of the estate of acclaimed Anishinaabe artist Norval Morrisseau.
In February, the Guelph Storm unveiled what it called the “Anishnabeg Outreach Jersey” and said the special logo was conceptualized and designed by Stephen Jackson, the CEO of Anishnabeg Outreach. The organization, based in Kitchener, Ont., bills itself as a hub for Indigenous culture and prosperity.
“Renowned for his talent in crafting woodland-style artwork, the graphic featured on this jersey is a reproduction of one of his captivating acrylic painting pieces,” the team’s website said, adding that the image is of an eagle that brings the lesson of love, one of the Seven Grandfather Teachings.
Morrisseau originated a pictographic style that came to be known as the Woodland School.
The jerseys were to be auctioned off in late February, with the proceeds going to Anishnabeg Outreach.
The team worked on a similar charity jersey with Jackson in 2023 that featured an image of a bear.
Matt Newby, the team’s vice-president of business operations, said that in each case the jerseys were worn for a single home game.
But the eagle and bear logos came under fire online and caught the eye of Cory Dingle, the head of Morrisseau’s estate. He contacted the team, and they issued a joint statement saying they were both “aware of the concerns regarding the jerseys.”
Jonathan Sommer, a lawyer who specializes in art fraud, said the image on the 2024 Guelph Storm jersey has elements that could make it a “near reproduction” of a work known as Sacred Thunderbird. He also said the 2023 jersey logo is similar to another piece called Sacred Medicine Bear.
Sommer co-runs a company with researcher John Zemanovich called Morrisseau Art Consulting Inc., which investigates and examines works attributed to Morrisseau. He said he had no doubt the team intended to use the images as a tribute but inadvertently ended up perpetuating a “grave injustice” against the late artist.
He said both Sacred Thunderbird and Sacred Medicine Bear have characteristics that “are inconsistent with Morrisseau’s known authentic works” but are consistent with works implicated by the police in a massive art-fraud investigation.
Newby said: “Our team presumed that the artwork provided by the artist was not similar to any other artwork ever created. … Unfortunately, as a hockey club, we do not have an Indigenous artwork historian on staff.”
He said the team has been working with the estate to ensure “the error in judgment is not repeated in the future,” adding that his organization intends to continue supporting charities that benefit the health and well-being of Indigenous people.
He said the team had spoken to Jackson about the artwork on the jerseys and concerns about similarities to other works. “We informed the artist that we will be working with a different artist in the future,” he said.
When asked about the fate of the jerseys, he said the team and the estate agreed they would not be destroyed.
The Globe and Mail has not been able to reach Jackson for comment.
Project Totton was a joint investigation by the Thunder Bay Police Service and the Ontario Provincial Police. It took 2½ years and resulted in the arrests of eight individuals last year. In December, Thunder Bay resident Gary Lamont was sentenced to five years in prison in connection with Morrisseau forgeries. A statement of agreed facts said he sold paintings to “various individuals and galleries across Canada, where they were subsequently purchased by unsuspecting members of the public.”
Sommer said Project Totton has not identified Sacred Thunderbird as a fake but said Sacred Medicine Bear was identified as being falsely attributed to Morrisseau in the Lamont trial.
Sommer said the Sacred Thunderbird image was previously published and certified as authentic by an organization known as the Morrisseau Family Foundation (MFF). He said evidence shows the piece was sold by an individual named Jim White, who was charged as part of the Project Totton investigation.
When asked about this, OPP spokesperson Gosia Puzio said the force was “unable to discuss evidence related to matters before the courts.” She also said police had not investigated the MFF and had not seized Sacred Thunderbird.
Editor’s note: This article has been updated to reflect an update in the statement provided by Jonathan Sommer, a lawyer who specializes in art fraud.
Kristy Kirkup