Video Clips from "Yukon Seasons" Unveiling
December 02, 2008 Filed in: Yukon Seasons Heist
LINK: Watch this Video Clip on YouTube
Text:
Heather Leduc, Curator, Department of Tourism and Culture, Yukon Government
It's theft left a huge gap both here, at the Canada Games Centre and within the Permanent Art Collection, where work is chosen for its uniqueness and originality and its place in the history of visual art practice in the Yukon.
"Yukon Seasons" is significant not only for its artistic virtuosity but also because of the space it fills in the hearts of those who visit it here.
So it's really fantastic to have it back!
And now I'd like to ask the Honourable Elaine Taylor, Minister of Tourism and Culture to come forward ...
Elaine Taylor, Minister of Tourism and Culture, Yukon Government
Good evening everyone and thank you for actually taking the time to come out to this really incredible ceremony this evening.
We are here, for obvious reasons, to unveil the magnificent piece of artwork.
To give it some context, it was about two years ago that Shane Wilson, who stands before us tonight, artist and certainly a long time Yukoner as well, donated this remarkable piece of artwork to the Yukon Permanent Art Collection through the Friends of the Gallery.
And of course, given the very popularity of this particular piece, not to mention all of the months and years of hard work, effort and thought given into this piece, it was chosen to be situated here at the Canada Games Centre.
Sadly, however, the sculpture went missing. It was removed from the Games Centre in September of 2007.
Of course it made headline news at the time. It made national and international news, not to mention just here in the Yukon.
But you know, thanks to the headline news, thanks to the good work of the RCMP and certainly an individual in particular who made and anonymous call, we have been able to recover this particular piece and we are so grateful and so thankful for that!
I have to say though, when the sculpture was returned it was in relatively stable condition, however, it wasn't entirely unscathed and in fact there was some damage to this particular piece of artwork. A fragment had come off, it had been broken off during the theft, also there was staining as well as some surface damage.
So thanks to the good work of the Department of Tourism and Culture, certainly our Museums' Conservator who on this particular piece of work from the summer and over the course of the last few months has done an incredible job and we're grateful for their work and their perseverance in making it happen.
They reattached the broken tine, they cleaned the surface, and they also worked to mitigate the discolouration on the sculpture.
So although this beautiful piece of work still bears a little bit of evidence of its mistreatment following the theft itself, I think that it will forever remain, truly, a piece of invaluable artwork and that which makes us all very proud to call the Yukon our home. We are very pleased to still have it housed within the Art Collection, forever it will be.
I have to say that because of this episode, unfortunately it did happen, but because of it I very much believe that the story of its theft and its recovery in itself even heightens more awareness and even more attention to this particular piece and hopefully it will heighten Yukoners and residents and certainly all visitors to come and take a look at this wonderful piece of artwork.
I just want to say that, while we all know and understand that displaying artwork as valuable as this has inherent risks as we have seen, we also have to balance this with making art possible for the public to enjoy. We also have to work to reduce potential risk, as we have witnessed over the past couple of years, as rare as thefts may have occurred, as they have just occurred with "Yukon Seasons".
We are indeed fortunate and we are very thankful for the return of this wonderful piece of artwork back home to the Yukon.
To the City of Whitehorse, Mayor Buckway is with us, to the RCMP, I thank you very much for sharing in the success story of this particular piece, "Yukon Seasons", in its recovery and restoration. I think it has been a great collaboration. And certainly to Shane Wilson, congratulations to you on seeing your work once again on display at the Canada Games Centre, which we see all around us is a well travelled building and facility that every Yukoner and beyond has grown to enjoy and appreciate over the years.
Thank you everyone for coming here and joining in this great celebration and I urge you to share the word that it's back home. Thank you very much!
Beverly Buckway, Mayor, City of Whitehorse
It's always a pleasure to follow Minister Taylor, because she has told the whole story! She makes my job very easy here this evening.
But yes indeed, you know we do have events in our town that are not the most pleasant events and not the ones we like to talk about too much, but here's another example of where the community has come together with various orders of government and hard work by a lot of people and we have this wonderful sculpture back in the Canada Games Centre where we really feel it belongs.
As Linda Rapp was telling me today, how many people have come by the front counter of the Canada Games Centre, after the piece was stolen and commented on how horrible it was to not have it here! So we know that when it wasn't here it was definitely missed. We're really delighted to have it back and indeed thank you to all the people who had a part in making sure that this was returned.
And Shane, thank you for not giving up on us. You're here to help us with the unveiling and really the spotlight is on you tonight, so thank you.
Thanks to all of you for being here!
(moose antler skull carving, moose antler skull sculpture)
Elaine Taylor, Minister of Tourism and Culture, Yukon Government
Good evening everyone and thank you for actually taking the time to come out to this really incredible ceremony this evening.
We are here, for obvious reasons, to unveil the magnificent piece of artwork.
To give it some context, it was about two years ago that Shane Wilson, who stands before us tonight, artist and certainly a long time Yukoner as well, donated this remarkable piece of artwork to the Yukon Permanent Art Collection through the Friends of the Gallery.
And of course, given the very popularity of this particular piece, not to mention all of the months and years of hard work, effort and thought given into this piece, it was chosen to be situated here at the Canada Games Centre.
Sadly, however, the sculpture went missing. It was removed from the Games Centre in September of 2007.
Of course it made headline news at the time. It made national and international news, not to mention just here in the Yukon.
But you know, thanks to the headline news, thanks to the good work of the RCMP and certainly an individual in particular who made and anonymous call, we have been able to recover this particular piece and we are so grateful and so thankful for that!
I have to say though, when the sculpture was returned it was in relatively stable condition, however, it wasn't entirely unscathed and in fact there was some damage to this particular piece of artwork. A fragment had come off, it had been broken off during the theft, also there was staining as well as some surface damage.
So thanks to the good work of the Department of Tourism and Culture, certainly our Museums' Conservator who on this particular piece of work from the summer and over the course of the last few months has done an incredible job and we're grateful for their work and their perseverance in making it happen.
They reattached the broken tine, they cleaned the surface, and they also worked to mitigate the discolouration on the sculpture.
So although this beautiful piece of work still bears a little bit of evidence of its mistreatment following the theft itself, I think that it will forever remain, truly, a piece of invaluable artwork and that which makes us all very proud to call the Yukon our home. We are very pleased to still have it housed within the Art Collection, forever it will be.
I have to say that because of this episode, unfortunately it did happen, but because of it I very much believe that the story of its theft and its recovery in itself even heightens more awareness and even more attention to this particular piece and hopefully it will heighten Yukoners and residents and certainly all visitors to come and take a look at this wonderful piece of artwork.
I just want to say that, while we all know and understand that displaying artwork as valuable as this has inherent risks as we have seen, we also have to balance this with making art possible for the public to enjoy. We also have to work to reduce potential risk, as we have witnessed over the past couple of years, as rare as thefts may have occurred, as they have just occurred with "Yukon Seasons".
We are indeed fortunate and we are very thankful for the return of this wonderful piece of artwork back home to the Yukon.
To the City of Whitehorse, Mayor Buckway is with us, to the RCMP, I thank you very much for sharing in the success story of this particular piece, "Yukon Seasons", in its recovery and restoration. I think it has been a great collaboration. And certainly to Shane Wilson, congratulations to you on seeing your work once again on display at the Canada Games Centre, which we see all around us is a well travelled building and facility that every Yukoner and beyond has grown to enjoy and appreciate over the years.
Thank you everyone for coming here and joining in this great celebration and I urge you to share the word that it's back home. Thank you very much!
Beverly Buckway, Mayor, City of Whitehorse
It's always a pleasure to follow Minister Taylor, because she has told the whole story! She makes my job very easy here this evening.
But yes indeed, you know we do have events in our town that are not the most pleasant events and not the ones we like to talk about too much, but here's another example of where the community has come together with various orders of government and hard work by a lot of people and we have this wonderful sculpture back in the Canada Games Centre where we really feel it belongs.
As Linda Rapp was telling me today, how many people have come by the front counter of the Canada Games Centre, after the piece was stolen and commented on how horrible it was to not have it here! So we know that when it wasn't here it was definitely missed. We're really delighted to have it back and indeed thank you to all the people who had a part in making sure that this was returned.
And Shane, thank you for not giving up on us. You're here to help us with the unveiling and really the spotlight is on you tonight, so thank you.
Thanks to all of you for being here!
(moose antler skull carving, moose antler skull sculpture)