page_title: Norval Morrisseau
section_title: Fakes and forgeries
hierarchical_section_title: Norval Morrisseau / Fakes and forgeries
caption_attribution_description: English: On the left, 2004 email from Norval Morrisseau requesting the removal of nine items identified as fakes from sale, directed at an unknown dealer. On the right, a 2007 press release from Norval Morrisseau disavowing any link with the “Morrisseau Family Foundation”, and indentifying the Norval Morrisseau Heritage Society as the sole authority to create a catalogue raisonné of his work.
context_page_description: Norval Morrisseau, CM, also known as Copper Thunderbird, was an Indigenous Canadian artist from the Bingwi Neyaashi Anishinaabek First Nation. Known as the "Picasso of the North", Morrisseau created works depicting the legends of his people, the cultural and political tensions between native Canadian and European traditions, his existential struggles, and his deep spirituality and mysticism. His style is characterized by thick black outlines and bright colors. He founded the Woodlands School of Canadian art and was a prominent member of the “Indian Group of Seven”.
context_section_description: The prevalence of fakes and forgeries was of deep concern to Morrisseau, particularly during his later years, and he actively sought to remove these from the marketplace.
  In 2005, Morrisseau established the Norval Morrisseau Heritage Society (NMHS). The Society is currently compiling a database of Norval Morrisseau paintings to discredit many prevalent Morrisseau forgeries. This committee, not affiliated with any commercial gallery or art dealer, comprises highly respected members of the academic, legal and Aboriginal communities working on a volunteer basis. It is charged with creating a complete catalogue raisonné of Norval Morrisseau artwork. The NMHS is currently researching Morrisseau art, provenance and materials and techniques in order to complete the task assigned to them by the artist. The NMHS continue their work and in 2008, were in Red Lake, Ontario to research additional information and art by the artist.
  The Art Dealers Association of Canada (ADAC) issued the following directive in the Winter 2007 newsletter to their membership: "The Art Dealers Association of Canada is enacting a rule and regulation that no certificates of authenticity will be issued by any members of ADAC with respect to any works or purported works by Norval Morrisseau and that the Norval Morrisseau Heritage Society is the sole authority for the authentication of works by Norval Morrisseau." ADAC also revoked the membership of a dealer who failed to comply with this directive.
  Morrisseau also engaged in more direct intervention, identifying fake and forged works available for sale, particularly those purported to be painted by him in the so-called "70s style". He wrote to galleries and made sworn declarations identifying items being sold as "fakes and imitations". More than ten sworn declarations  were directed to at least seven dealers and galleries during 1993-2007, requesting that fake and forged works be removed or destroyed.
  The debate concerning the authenticity of the "70s paintings" commonly found in the marketplace, continues with ongoing litigation.
  A 2019 documentary called There Are No Fakes, directed by Jamie Kastner, investigated an alleged forgery ring that attempted to pass off fake Morrisseau paintings as originals for several years. 
  In 2019, an Ontario appeals court ordered a Toronto gallery to pay $50,000 for breach of contract and $10,000 in punitive damages to Barenaked Ladies keyboardist Kevin Hearn, who  bought a Morrisseau painting that the gallery could not authenticate with a provenance statement. A lower court had ruled against Hearn.
caption: On the left, 2004 email from Norval Morrisseau requesting the removal of nine items identified as fakes from sale, directed at an unknown dealer. On the right, a 2007 press release from Norval Morrisseau disavowing any link with the "Morrisseau Family Foundation", and identifying the Norval Morrisseau Heritage Society as the sole authority to create a catalogue raisonné of his work.
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