Norval Morrisseau, a renowned Indigenous artist, encountered a puzzling situation while visiting a Vancouver gallery with his friend Cory Dingle in 1993. They came across a painting attributed to Morrisseau himself, even though the artist had no recollection of creating it. This incident foreshadowed a larger issue that would plague Morrisseau’s estate in the years to come.
Morrisseau, a self-taught artist recognized for his unique pictographic style, was a trailblazer among a group of seven First Nations and Native American artists. As the first Indigenous artist to have his work displayed in a contemporary Canadian gallery, Morrisseau’s paintings now command high prices, with some selling for millions of dollars.
However, the discovery of thousands of fake Morrisseau paintings has dealt a severe blow to his estate, resulting in losses totaling $100 million. This widespread art fraud has been described by authorities as one of the largest in history.
In the quest to identify and combat these forgeries, Morrisseau’s estate, led by Cory Dingle, has collaborated with two art enthusiasts to develop an innovative tool known as “Norval AI.” This software utilizes artificial intelligence to analyze artworks and assess the likelihood of them being authentic Morrisseau pieces.
The estate’s efforts to detect fake paintings have been further bolstered by the emergence of Acrylic Robotics, a company founded by Chloë Ryan. Acrylic Robotics utilizes technology to create accurate replicas of artwork under the guidance of an artist, streamlining the process of reproducing intricate pieces like those of Morrisseau.
By combining AI technology with robotic painting capabilities, Dingle and Ryan are striving to ensure that the legacy of Morrisseau is preserved and protected from further exploitation. As they continue refining their methods to enhance accuracy and prevent misuse of their technology, the ultimate goal remains to bring Morrisseau’s art to a wider audience while safeguarding its integrity.