Museum of Cultural Arts

An artist sent this in –

A particular company to watch out for and AVOID is one called Museum of Cultural Arts, in London, UK (situated at Canary Wharf) and run by a woman called Lorraine Gabriel. Do not have anything to do with her, she is very dangerous. What started out as a linked in contact, with offers to represent me, and host an art exhibition for me in London, became a huge horrible heartbreak. End of 2015, we met in London and she charged me 280 pounds to represent me. A couple of months later, she asked me for 1500 pounds to do a special clothing line of my artworks. That never eventuated at all. During 2016 as we communicated by email, she was a little cagey with details. She asked me for 6400 pounds for the venue hire in London and to manage everything from easels to transportation of the artworks to the gallery, and said she would pay the deposit to the venue right away. At one point, when I asked her about where the money was going, she got snappy and angry with me and really upset me that night. I should have listened to my gut instinct and pulled out right away, but I did not. We proceeded communication, and few months later, in late 2016 came the time to prepare for my exhibition in London and I flew all the way from Australia to have it and on the very night, thirty minutes before the exhibition was due to open, she cancelled! With weak excuses saying that the car hire company had cancelled on her, and a couple of days later, we found out that she had not paid the venue at all, and the venue told me she told them a different story, that she could not afford the car hire or the easels hire. I felt very angry! This was 6400 pounds I had paid her for all of this, where had it all gone? So we got about reporting her to the police and fraud squad and the embassy, which all were on our side. Lorraine says she will do this and that for you, but never does anything, just pockets the money and runs! Stay away from her.

1 comment
  • Maypole

    Sorry to hear that she done this to you.
    What a horrible person she is…

    I am a English guy….. please don’t let it make you feel that english5 folk are like this..

    Only I do feel pity in your circumstances and I do hope she gets her upance at some point.

    I am a Artist also… and your story makes me very weary of so called wonderful galleries who step forward and give hope then dash it by scamming the arse off good intention artists..

    I think after your story… my advice to myself..
    Is if they are intrested in my art sincerly.
    Then there should be no fees what so ever. Otherwise forget it..

    All calls should be secretly recorded…via a app online….to protect your interests.
    Only some a minority see artists as gullible babies where candy can be taken so easily.

    Best sell work on Saatchi Saatchi online if you can…at least your in control a bit more.

    Sad thorough your story his…
    Don’t let it put you off…
    Good apples more then the bad one.

    All the best in the future…

    Maypole

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