Norval Morrisseau (Copper Thunderbird) was arguably the most influential Indigenous artist in Canada. After spending $20,000 at a reputable Toronto gallery to purchase Spirit Energy of Mother Earth, The Barenaked Ladies’ Kevin Hearn was surprised to discover the authenticity of his Morrisseau canvas being called into question. This leads the rock star into the tragic and exploitative web of art forgery ring in Canada’s north that quickly widens far beyond the canvas. Questions of authenticity, appropriation, and exploitation underlay this devastating story about a visionary artist caught between worlds.
“There Are No Fakes can be seen as a nuts-and-bolts investigation of what one gallery owner calls “a massive art scam,” but there’s something else boiling underneath – an understanding of, and revulsion at, the way Canada’s white power structure consumes and perverts the work of Indigenous artists, even after they’re gone.” – Norman Wilner, NOW Toronto
