Two art fraud rings operating in a secluded Canadian city created numerous fake paintings attributed to Norval Morrisseau, Canada’s renowned Indigenous artist. By Norimitsu Onishi Photographs by Brett Gundlock Reporting from Thunder Bay, Ontario January 26, 2025 Tim Tait uncovered the deception when he tried to sell some of his paintings to a law firm in downtown Thunder Bay twenty years ago. He noticed one of his works already there, but with another artist’s signature. The signature read “Copper Thunderbird,” also known as the “Picasso of the North,” the real name of Norval Morrisseau, Canada’s most celebrated Indigenous artist. Tait, a local artist in Thunder Bay who is also Indigenous, reported the discovery to the police, but they dismissed his concerns. Eventually, the truth came to light, revealing that two criminal rings in Thunder Bay had produced thousands of fake Morrisseau paintings that were sold for millions of dollars across Canada. The fakes, which included rebranded paintings by Tait and other Indigenous artists, made their way into top galleries and universities in the country. The masterminds behind the fraud have since been convicted and imprisoned. Thunder Bay, a city isolated on Lake Superior’s north shore, known for being Canada’s homicide capital, emerged as the epicenter of the largest art fraud in the country’s history. The convictions came after a lengthy investigation that connected various individuals and events, including a rock star, a cold-case murder, grieving parents, and skeptical detectives who ultimately uncovered the truth. Detective Jason Rybak, who led the investigation, admitted that he and his team had no prior knowledge of art but learned to recognize Morrisseau’s unique style during the course of the case. Norval Morrisseau, a member of the Ojibwe First Nation, was born near Thunder Bay and became famous for creating the Woodland School of painting, blending Ojibwe and European influences. His bold and colorful paintings that reflected Indigenous beliefs revolutionized the art scene in Canada. Despite facing financial interests that denied the existence of widespread fraud, the truth eventually emerged, thanks to the persistence of individuals like Kevin Hearn, a musician who was also a victim of the counterfeit art scheme. The uncovering of the art fraud also led to new leads in a cold-case murder investigation, adding another layer of complexity to the story. The investigation was spearheaded by Detective Rybak and his team, who meticulously reconstructed Morrisseau’s life to understand his art and signature. The story of the art fraud in Thunder Bay sheds light on the complex legacy of Norval Morrisseau and the impact of his work on the art world and Indigenous communities.
