Calgary Art Gallery Files $1.45M Lawsuit Against Norval Morrisseau Estate
Calgary Gallery Sues Norval Morrisseau Estate for $1.45M Over Defamation Claims
EA Studios alleges reputational harm and breach of contract after statements from estate executive director Cory Dingle
The Norval Morrisseau Estate Ltd., known for its outspoken stance against art fraud, is now facing a $1.45 million lawsuit from a Calgary gallery that claims it was defamed and financially harmed by the estate’s executive director.
Filed on March 11 in Alberta’s Superior Trial Court, the lawsuit alleges that Cory Dingle, executive director of Norval Morrisseau Estate Ltd., made disparaging remarks suggesting EA Studios (Jasper) Ltd. sold fake or unethically obtained works by the late Indigenous artist. EA Studios claims Dingle’s comments, made to potential buyers and undercover investigators, damaged its reputation and led to lost business.
Dingle and the estate are accused of breaching a contract under which they were to authenticate Morrisseau works and refer clients to EA Studios in exchange for a 10% commission on sales. Instead, the gallery claims, Dingle implied the gallery’s paintings were inauthentic and encouraged clients to purchase directly from him or the estate.
In a statement, Dingle said the estate “looks forward to defending itself against these allegations,” but declined further comment due to ongoing litigation.
The gallery alleges Dingle told clients the business was unethical, possibly criminal, and considered a “scammer” by Morrisseau’s children. The court documents further state that EA Studios has dealt in Morrisseau’s works since the 1980s and had a longstanding personal and professional relationship with the artist.
The lawsuit also challenges the estate’s public claims that it is the sole legal distributor of Morrisseau prints, calling the assertion defamatory.
Further, the claim accuses shareholders of Norval Morrisseau Estate Ltd.—including Morrisseau’s children—of promoting fraudulent works for financial gain in the early 2000s, undermining efforts to curb art forgery.
Norval Morrisseau, a celebrated Ojibway artist from Bingwi Neyaashi Anishinaabek First Nation, died in 2007. His estate was initially left to friend Gabor Vadas, but was later divided following a legal dispute with Morrisseau’s biological children.
None of the allegations have been tested in court, and the estate has yet to file a statement of defence.
