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£100,000
art theft
‘a creative expression’
POLICE are continuing to investigate a £100,000 art theft which took place in Scarborough on Monday night.
Artist Kane Cunningham had 40 of his own paintings taken from his studio at Knipe Point and 26 belonging to his friend Mik Godley, a well respected artist from the Nottingham area.
The theft was discovered on Tuesday afternoon and included 10 paintings which were due to be exhibited at Scarborough Art Galley in September.
Mr Cunningham bought the landslip-threatened house in December on his credit card for just £3,000 with the intention of using it as a live art project.
He spoke to the Evening News shortly after hearing about the theft, saying he was in shock.
However, he added that he also found it quite exciting and saw the theft as a “creative act in itself”.
Mr Cunningham said: “It’s a wonderful creative act and simply part of the narrative of the house. The house project has always been about the unexpected, creativity and expression so I cannot complain if someone is inspired to rob me.
“It’s a beautiful moment in the history of the house and something to paint about.”
He believes the act was carried out by professional thieves as they only took the paintings and left no fingerprints or marks.
Mr Cunningham said: “In these difficult financial times I can only guess they intend to sell them. I do not believe they are international art thieves, but more likely local entrepreneurs seeking to cash in on my recent worldwide publicity.”
Police now have photo images of the paintings to help trace the stolen work.
Anyone with information is asked to call them on 0845 6060247.
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Comments
There are 19 comments to this article
Page 1 of 2
coastwatcher
Sunday, March 27, 2011 at 05:08 PMAnother bizarre chapter. Have a look at youtube (search on cunningham knipe point) to see a frenzied trashing of the property by Mr C, all artisticly done of course Nature has played a dirty trick on Mr C by failing to landslip the property as per the publicity plan. I await the next saga with bated breath. Will it be an Agatha Christie murder? An international spy drama? A jumbo jet crashing onto the property? to be continued.....
amaroo
Saturday, March 26, 2011 at 11:20 AMRe Post 17. 'Animalhouse' re read, I never suggested you had made any comment as you post of 'a fraudulent insurance claim'. Like others it seems very odd that a man of Kane Cunningham's credentials would leave art work valued (by whoever) at £100,000 in an empty collapsing edge of the cliff property .
Animalhouse
Saturday, March 26, 2011 at 12:32 AMRe #16. In my first post on this matter, I said that I liked Mik Godley's work, and nowhere have I said I believe this to be a fraudulent insurance claim because I don't want to make libelous accusations or statements. I've also said that I had not heard of the artists until reading this article. Go ahead.
amaroo
Friday, March 25, 2011 at 10:15 PMre Post 14, 'heavensentmum' Maybe in the hope that someone would break in and nick them then a insurance claim for £100,000 of masterpieces could be claimed for !!!. His insurers will posibly see through that as everyone other than 'Animalhouse' seems to have done.
That bloke in the pub
Friday, March 25, 2011 at 06:44 PM14 I rather suspect his insurers, when faced with the £100,000 claim for compensation, will be asking the same question.
heavensentmum
Friday, March 25, 2011 at 04:58 PMWhat I can't figure out about this is why leave £100000 worth of art in an empty building that could fall into the sea at any time?
Animalhouse
Friday, March 25, 2011 at 04:38 PMRe#12 Animalhouse isn't and doesn't. I didn't know who these artists were until I looked at their websites after reading this article. What I am, is a person who doesn't berate somebody's art because i don't like it! As you say, it is in the eye of the beholder, therefore people who are 'pricing' these paintings and drawings at £2 are Philistines - http:en.wikipedia.orgwikiPhilistinism for those who do not know the meaning of the word, it is people who undervalue art. Plain and simple, nothing more than that.
amaroo
Friday, March 25, 2011 at 09:39 AMre Post 6, ' Animalhouse'----The post reads like 'Animalhouse' is one of Kane Cunningham's dedicated pupils !!!!!!! Art is in the eye of the beholder, sadly though the likes of 'Animalhouse' possibly need to go to 'Specsavers' first !!!
park and hide
Thursday, March 24, 2011 at 10:19 PMOne Dutch master who is worth a look at is Von Klump, possibly his finest work being that masterpiece "The Fallen Maddona", I have suggested to our council this could be a fine investment for any of their members and would act as an agent for a small fee, say £45,000!
That bloke in the pub
Thursday, March 24, 2011 at 08:30 PMHow far up his own behind is this man? 5 has called it right, surely, this is not a theft, it's just another desperate publicity stunt.
Mr Do!
Thursday, March 24, 2011 at 07:52 PMall art is theft but not all theft is art
accountdetails
Thursday, March 24, 2011 at 07:34 PMPersonally I prefer Rolf Harris, I have never called anyone "Philistines" for disagreeing with my choice so I guess it comes down to class and style. Mine is obviously better than yours.
SirChasm
Thursday, March 24, 2011 at 07:14 PMI don't anything about art, but i know what i like, as the saying goes. Its a very subjective topic. I looked up some of their work out of curiousity. Sorry Kane, i wouldn't give your work house room, has no appeal to me. Miks work is interesting though. Still it does seem an unusual theft, pretty niche market.
Animalhouse
Thursday, March 24, 2011 at 06:49 PMI like Mik Godly's work, his portraits are particularly good. Kane Cunningham's work isn't largely my favourite style, but i can see that it would be appreciated by many who aren't the Philistines that write comments on these pages and have no idea of the value of art, let alone the ability to put pen, pencil or brush to work and create anything remotely artistic. It might be interesting to know what you all DO call art because it sounds like you buy yours from Poundland.
accountdetails
Thursday, March 24, 2011 at 05:55 PMMy suspicious mind at work again, £3000 on his credit card, No finger prints. £100000, Nice profit from the insurance company and all that free publicity will have upped the price of his next collection.
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