Norval Morrisseau Estate Ltd. is denying the claims that he defamed and breached a contract with an Alberta art gallery in implying that his works could be forgery.
In March, EA Studios (Jasper) Ltd., who operates from Calgary, launched a lawsuit against Norval Morrisseau to claim defamation and breach of contract. The claim was filed In the Court of First Instance of Alberta.
Cory Dingle says he is the executive director of Morrisseau’s Estate. He has spoken To the media, including CBC, on the profuse fraud of the work of the late artist.
The art market It has flooded with thousands of works falsely attributed to Morrisseau Since the end of the 1990s, which hinders authentication and sale of its paintings. Considered by many as the MishomisOr grandfather, of contemporary indigenous art in Canada, was from Ojibway Bingwi Neyahi Anishinaabek First Nation in the northwest of Ontario and died in Toronto in 2007 at 75.
EA Studios Gallery states that he had an agreement with Norval Morrisseau Estate Ltd., represented by Dingle.
The agreement included a requirement for EA Studios to promote Norval Morrisseau Estate Ltd. as the final source to authenticate the works of Morrisseau, says the gallery in its demand.
Norval Morrisseau Estate Ltd. would assure potential customers that the paintings they wanted to buy were authentic creations of Morrisseau, and Dingle would get 10 percent of any successful sale to customers to whom he referred to the gallery, according to the claim statement.
The lawsuit states that Dingle did the exact opposite. Instead, he affirms that Morrisseau’s paintings of Dingle Studios can be false, and suggested that they buy authentic works directly from him and/or Norval Morrisseau Estate Ltd.
None of the accusations has been tested in court.
In a defense statement filed on May 20, Norval Morrisseau Estate Ltd. said he never reached this agreement with the gallery.
“As there was no agreement between [the] The plaintiff and the defendants, without breach of any contract or agreement, as it alleged or occurred, “said the statement.
He also denied that Dingle knew that the paintings in the inventory of EA Studios were authentic or received directly from Morrisseau during his life, unlike the accusations of the plaintiff.
Gallery says he hired researchers to pose as buyers
EA Studios is also demanding Norval Morrisseau Estate Ltd. for defamation.
The art gallery states that Dingle’s statements to potential buyers implied the gallery “is, in general, an unusual ethical organization that sells lower and possibly false works of art that were obtained through an abusive and possibly criminal exploitation of a vulnerable indigenous artist,” according to the statement.
According to the gallery, Dingle also said that he was the only source to buy authentic paintings of Morrisseau, and that only he and heritage had a reliable catalog of genuine works, alleges the demand.
EA Studios said he hired two private researchers in October 2024 to pose as potential buyers interested in the paintings in their inventory after suspecting that Dingle did not maintain his part of the agreement. He states that private researchers had two calls with Dingle during which he made defamatory statements that undermined the credibility and reputation of the gallery.
Norval Morrisseau Estate Ltd. states that Dingle spoke little or nothing about the gallery in October 2024, according to the written defense declaration. He also says that Dingle did not say anything defamatory to private investigators who passed through buyers.
“In the event that Dingle would provide defamatory statements to private investigators, who is not admitted but that he refuses specifically, the defendants claim that there was no damage (economic or recessing) suffered by the plaintiff, since said private investigators were not in the market to buy a Morrisseau painting of the plaintiff,” says the statement.
Ea Studios also argues that Norval Morrisseau Estate Ltd. defamed it in a publication on social networks that said “‘The only authorized legal impressions of Norval’s work in the market are those sold by the alleged heritage'”.
The gallery said this statement “implied that the many authentic impressions sold by the plaintiff and others are fraudulent.”
Norval Morrisseau Estate Ltd. responds that this was not defamation because he did not directly identify the gallery in his position.
“As the heritage has the right of reproduction over all the works of art of Morrisseau, there can be nothing in the publication on social networks that is even implicitly defamatory.”
Not all of patrimonial assets: Defense claim
In his defense statement, Norval Morrisseau Estate Ltd. describes himself as “a incorporated corporation under the laws of British Columbia to more efficiently administer transactions on behalf of Morrisseau’s heritage.”
Morrisseau’s assets have not yet been completely distributed, he says.
Dingle was appointed agent of the farm by Gabor Vadas, an old friend of the artist, and the children of Morrisseau, says the statement.
“Dingle is also authorized to act in the name of heritage in relation to certain commercial and operational issues.”
Corporate records show that Norval Morrisseau Estate Ltd. has an office registered in Vancouver. The directors of the list are the daughter of Morrisseau, Lisa, and Vadas, which was adopted by Morrisseau according to the artist’s shamanic traditions.
Vadas was the executor and the only beneficiary of the will of Morrisseau. The farm was divided later between the children of Vadas and Morrisseau in a settlement outside the court.
“From Norval’s death, Vadas did very little, and nothing effective, to stop the production and circulation of fraudulent works,” says Ea Studios in the claim statement.
Vadas specifically denies that Norval Morrisseau Estate says in his defense statement.
