'Yukon Seasons' Not Insured'- CBC Radio Whitehorse - Laurel Parry and Shane Wilson Interviews
January 14, 2008 Filed in: Yukon Seasons Heist
LINK: Listen to these CBC interviews on YouTube
(moose antler skull carving, moose antler skull sculpture)
Text:
Sandy Coleman - CBC Whitehorse Morning Show Host
Well, you may remember last September a massive moose antler sculpture was stolen from the Canada Games Centre, called one of the largest art heists in the Territory's history. It went missing during a power outage. So far Whitehorse RCMP have not located the sculpture.
In just a few minutes we'll speak to Shane Wilson, the former Yukon artist who created it, but first Laurel Parry is here. She's the Manager of the Yukon Arts Branch.
How does the government insure, or does it insure its art in the permanent collection?
Part One
Laurel Parry, Manager of the Yukon Government Arts Branch
This is the kind of the question in which there are two things at play. The government follows a self insured policy because it owns so many assets, including buildings and everything else, that the premiums and the deductions would be so high that they follow a self insured program. And that also applies to the arts.
In many public galleries and senior world collections, they don't insure works in their collections. Galleries tend to insure works for traveling, because the chances of things going wrongs are a little higher in transit. And of course the premiums and the deductible is more manageable in that case.
We haven't even contemplated yet what to do because we're still hoping for its recovery and I'd like to take the opportunity of this interview to welcome anybody who knows anything to contact the RCMP with their information because this piece belongs to the people of the Yukon and it was generously donated by the artist for the enjoyment of people and we'd like to see it returned.
Sandy Coleman - CBC Whitehorse Morning Show Host
How does the government decide where it's going to show off its pieces?
Laurel Parry, Manager of the Yukon Government Arts Branch
This is the other matter that is always a dilemma for any manager of public art collections. The Yukon Permanent Art Collection is comprised of 291 pieces. This does not include the public art that we have around the City of Whitehorse.
The dilemma lies in when do you display work.
You collect work for two reasons:
One: To document the arts development and to create a collection that's coherent and worthy.
Two: To make sure that we share it with the public.
Our philosophy is that, wherever possible, the work is on display, on rotation. We put it throughout the Yukon in public buildings and we're actually adding more places to display work, as opposed to cracking down on it.
Sandy Coleman - CBC Whitehorse Morning Show Host
In this case, it was stolen during a power outage. Now apparently, Linda Rapp, the Manager of Parks and Recreation, says that
the Centre has enhanced its back up power and has additional money in the City's proposed 2008 Capital Budget for security cameras and other security equipment. But as you say, you're even looking at displaying more. This isn't making you look at drawing back at the Canada Games Centre. Are you satisfied that it has the security?
Laurel Parry, Manager of the Yukon Government Arts Branch
We work pretty well with the City of Whitehorse Parks and Recreation Department, not only at the Canada Games Centre, because they also have their own public art collection as well, so it's a showcase for Yukon Art. But in public sculpture we work with them and we are satisfied that they take as many steps as possible. They actually know a lot more about public vandalism because they have other assets in the Centre. Their interests are the same as ours in making the Centre available to the public and also working as strongly as possible with security, so we are satisfied with them as a partner.
Sandy Coleman - CBC Whitehorse Morning Show Host
Again, this isn't making you think twice about keeping art back?
Laurel Parry, Manager of the Yukon Government Arts Branch
No, we take as many steps as we can, reasonable measures, so that we can deal with theft or damage. But the collections also rotate so the experts who work for us, this is the kind of work they do.
Sandy Coleman - CBC Whitehorse Morning Show Host
Laurel Parry, thank you.
Part Two
Sandy Coleman - CBC Whitehorse Morning Show Host
Now Shane Wilson is the artist who created the moose antler sculpture that went missing. He donated the work to the City. And Wilson now lives in Nanaimo, British Columbia and we've reached him at his home.
Shane how concerned are you that your work has still not been found?
Shane Wilson, Sculptor
What can you say, really? I was pleased to donate it to the Permanent Art Collection. The folks at the Arts Branch and Economic Development have been so supportive over the years to arts and culture and towards myself as well. So to give something back, to recognize Ruth McCullough for her work, specifically with the visual arts and to put a piece that I'd worked on for three years on public display so that everyone could have a chance to see it. That was the intention.
Now that it's gone ... the truth is that it was donated, it belongs to the Permanent Collection, so it is gone and the intention of displaying it is foiled, but what can you do?
Sandy Coleman - CBC Whitehorse Morning Show Host
It was such a large piece, are you surprised that it hasn't been found yet?
Shane Wilson, Sculptor
If someone wants to steal something, they're going to try to keep it concealed. It depends on what happened to it in terms of where it went. So, I guess I'm not surprised that it hasn't been found. Oftentimes when these things do get found, they are found by a series of coincidences and it's still possible that it could turn up in the future.
Sandy Coleman - CBC Whitehorse Morning Show Host
Do people try to continually give you leads on it? Or do you some of your own investigation? We've got the RCMP looking into it but it must be curiosity on your part to try to find it.
Shane Wilson, Sculptor
Well, there's not much I can do personally. My daughter started a group on Facebook which a number of people have joined. People have been very supportive, very understanding. One of the folks on Facebook thought they saw the piece on 'Used Victoria.com', an art and furniture site out of Victoria. We followed up on that but we didn't spot it there. So they must have seen something else and just thought that was it.
Sandy Coleman - CBC Whitehorse Morning Show Host
Does this give you concerns about donating pieces of art in the future?
Shane Wilson, Sculptor
It did initially. I was not aware that most collections were not insured. The other collections in the Yukon are insured. But the truth of it is that when you create something that takes three years, as anyone knows who has worked on a project for three years, when it's gone it's pretty hard to replace. You can do something else, but insurance isn't going to bring that back. If the Collection or the government decides at some point to have something to take the place of that sculpture then I'd be open to that possibility.
Sandy Coleman - CBC Whitehorse Morning Show Host
You kindly donated this time around. Do you have some other pieces in the Permanent Art Collection?
Shane Wilson, Sculptor
Yes, a few years ago, around 2000, I donated on a 50/50 basis a small stone raven head sculpture, called 'Bringer of Light'. And, of course, the Canada Games Torch, the Yukon Torch, which Northern Vision Development commissioned, was also donated to the Collection, or at least it's on display anyway at the Canada Games Centre.
Sandy Coleman - CBC Whitehorse Morning Show Host
Do you have any concerns about it being on display in the same spot as the other one was taken from?
Shane Wilson, Sculptor
No, I'm sure they've tightened up any holes in their security system by this point.
Sandy Coleman - CBC Whitehorse Morning Show Host
Well, Shane, as you mentioned, it's not replaceable, it's that antler that Yukon wants back and you would obviously want to see back in our hands. Is there anything else you'd like to see done at this point?
Shane Wilson, Sculptor
I think everything is being done that can be done. People are aware that it's missing. The images are on the website for people to see. The police are, obviously, open to any leads. And so we'll just wait and see. It sure would be great to have it back.
Sandy Coleman - CBC Whitehorse Morning Show Host
It certainly would. Shane, just that website, for people who want to take a look at it.
Shane Wilson, Sculptor
The images are on my website, www.shanewilson.com, but there is a Facebook group that people in Facebook can join and I believe it's called 'Stolen Art ... Help!!!' My daughter did it and I'm very appreciative.
Sandy Coleman - CBC Whitehorse Morning Show Host
Well Shane, thank you so much for your time this morning. We appreciate it.
Shane Wilson, Sculptor
Thank you Sandy for covering this again and hopefully something will come of it.
Sandy Coleman - CBC Whitehorse Morning Show Host
Well stay in touch. We've been speaking with Shane Wilson, a former Yukon artist. He is now living in Nanaimo, British Columbia.
Laurel Parry, Manager of the Yukon Government Arts Branch
This is the kind of the question in which there are two things at play. The government follows a self insured policy because it owns so many assets, including buildings and everything else, that the premiums and the deductions would be so high that they follow a self insured program. And that also applies to the arts.
In many public galleries and senior world collections, they don't insure works in their collections. Galleries tend to insure works for traveling, because the chances of things going wrongs are a little higher in transit. And of course the premiums and the deductible is more manageable in that case.
We haven't even contemplated yet what to do because we're still hoping for its recovery and I'd like to take the opportunity of this interview to welcome anybody who knows anything to contact the RCMP with their information because this piece belongs to the people of the Yukon and it was generously donated by the artist for the enjoyment of people and we'd like to see it returned.
Sandy Coleman - CBC Whitehorse Morning Show Host
How does the government decide where it's going to show off its pieces?
Laurel Parry, Manager of the Yukon Government Arts Branch
This is the other matter that is always a dilemma for any manager of public art collections. The Yukon Permanent Art Collection is comprised of 291 pieces. This does not include the public art that we have around the City of Whitehorse.
The dilemma lies in when do you display work.
You collect work for two reasons:
One: To document the arts development and to create a collection that's coherent and worthy.
Two: To make sure that we share it with the public.
Our philosophy is that, wherever possible, the work is on display, on rotation. We put it throughout the Yukon in public buildings and we're actually adding more places to display work, as opposed to cracking down on it.
Sandy Coleman - CBC Whitehorse Morning Show Host
In this case, it was stolen during a power outage. Now apparently, Linda Rapp, the Manager of Parks and Recreation, says that
the Centre has enhanced its back up power and has additional money in the City's proposed 2008 Capital Budget for security cameras and other security equipment. But as you say, you're even looking at displaying more. This isn't making you look at drawing back at the Canada Games Centre. Are you satisfied that it has the security?
Laurel Parry, Manager of the Yukon Government Arts Branch
We work pretty well with the City of Whitehorse Parks and Recreation Department, not only at the Canada Games Centre, because they also have their own public art collection as well, so it's a showcase for Yukon Art. But in public sculpture we work with them and we are satisfied that they take as many steps as possible. They actually know a lot more about public vandalism because they have other assets in the Centre. Their interests are the same as ours in making the Centre available to the public and also working as strongly as possible with security, so we are satisfied with them as a partner.
Sandy Coleman - CBC Whitehorse Morning Show Host
Again, this isn't making you think twice about keeping art back?
Laurel Parry, Manager of the Yukon Government Arts Branch
No, we take as many steps as we can, reasonable measures, so that we can deal with theft or damage. But the collections also rotate so the experts who work for us, this is the kind of work they do.
Sandy Coleman - CBC Whitehorse Morning Show Host
Laurel Parry, thank you.
Part Two
Sandy Coleman - CBC Whitehorse Morning Show Host
Now Shane Wilson is the artist who created the moose antler sculpture that went missing. He donated the work to the City. And Wilson now lives in Nanaimo, British Columbia and we've reached him at his home.
Shane how concerned are you that your work has still not been found?
Shane Wilson, Sculptor
What can you say, really? I was pleased to donate it to the Permanent Art Collection. The folks at the Arts Branch and Economic Development have been so supportive over the years to arts and culture and towards myself as well. So to give something back, to recognize Ruth McCullough for her work, specifically with the visual arts and to put a piece that I'd worked on for three years on public display so that everyone could have a chance to see it. That was the intention.
Now that it's gone ... the truth is that it was donated, it belongs to the Permanent Collection, so it is gone and the intention of displaying it is foiled, but what can you do?
Sandy Coleman - CBC Whitehorse Morning Show Host
It was such a large piece, are you surprised that it hasn't been found yet?
Shane Wilson, Sculptor
If someone wants to steal something, they're going to try to keep it concealed. It depends on what happened to it in terms of where it went. So, I guess I'm not surprised that it hasn't been found. Oftentimes when these things do get found, they are found by a series of coincidences and it's still possible that it could turn up in the future.
Sandy Coleman - CBC Whitehorse Morning Show Host
Do people try to continually give you leads on it? Or do you some of your own investigation? We've got the RCMP looking into it but it must be curiosity on your part to try to find it.
Shane Wilson, Sculptor
Well, there's not much I can do personally. My daughter started a group on Facebook which a number of people have joined. People have been very supportive, very understanding. One of the folks on Facebook thought they saw the piece on 'Used Victoria.com', an art and furniture site out of Victoria. We followed up on that but we didn't spot it there. So they must have seen something else and just thought that was it.
Sandy Coleman - CBC Whitehorse Morning Show Host
Does this give you concerns about donating pieces of art in the future?
Shane Wilson, Sculptor
It did initially. I was not aware that most collections were not insured. The other collections in the Yukon are insured. But the truth of it is that when you create something that takes three years, as anyone knows who has worked on a project for three years, when it's gone it's pretty hard to replace. You can do something else, but insurance isn't going to bring that back. If the Collection or the government decides at some point to have something to take the place of that sculpture then I'd be open to that possibility.
Sandy Coleman - CBC Whitehorse Morning Show Host
You kindly donated this time around. Do you have some other pieces in the Permanent Art Collection?
Shane Wilson, Sculptor
Yes, a few years ago, around 2000, I donated on a 50/50 basis a small stone raven head sculpture, called 'Bringer of Light'. And, of course, the Canada Games Torch, the Yukon Torch, which Northern Vision Development commissioned, was also donated to the Collection, or at least it's on display anyway at the Canada Games Centre.
Sandy Coleman - CBC Whitehorse Morning Show Host
Do you have any concerns about it being on display in the same spot as the other one was taken from?
Shane Wilson, Sculptor
No, I'm sure they've tightened up any holes in their security system by this point.
Sandy Coleman - CBC Whitehorse Morning Show Host
Well, Shane, as you mentioned, it's not replaceable, it's that antler that Yukon wants back and you would obviously want to see back in our hands. Is there anything else you'd like to see done at this point?
Shane Wilson, Sculptor
I think everything is being done that can be done. People are aware that it's missing. The images are on the website for people to see. The police are, obviously, open to any leads. And so we'll just wait and see. It sure would be great to have it back.
Sandy Coleman - CBC Whitehorse Morning Show Host
It certainly would. Shane, just that website, for people who want to take a look at it.
Shane Wilson, Sculptor
The images are on my website, www.shanewilson.com, but there is a Facebook group that people in Facebook can join and I believe it's called 'Stolen Art ... Help!!!' My daughter did it and I'm very appreciative.
Sandy Coleman - CBC Whitehorse Morning Show Host
Well Shane, thank you so much for your time this morning. We appreciate it.
Shane Wilson, Sculptor
Thank you Sandy for covering this again and hopefully something will come of it.
Sandy Coleman - CBC Whitehorse Morning Show Host
Well stay in touch. We've been speaking with Shane Wilson, a former Yukon artist. He is now living in Nanaimo, British Columbia.