Long lost John Alvin Blade Runner art has been recovered in a settlement that represents a landmark win for illustrators and artists’ rights.
As many of you know, not only do we sell Disney Fine Art and original production art from cartoons and live action films, Leslie of ArtInsights is also the official representative for the estate of cinema artist John Alvin. If you’re not sure who he is, he’s responsible for over 200 movie posters in the history of film, from the 70s through the 90s (and you can read more about him HERE.) From E.T. to Blazing Saddles to Blade Runner, film fans will recognize his art instantly when they see the movie posters. Directors, art departments, and film marketing firms who collaborated with him have repeatedly said his art had a significant affect on the success of their films.
We have been working in partnership with the Alvin family to get back art not returned at the time these movies were released. A lot of art disappeared, despite the fact that John Alvin was freelancing and his work was supposed to be returned to him. Years later, many pieces are still unaccounted for, and still other art has shown up at auction.
Such is the case with Blade Runner, and now, long lost John Alvin Blade Runner art has been recovered! We are incredibly excited that Andrea Alvin and the whole Alvin family is now in control of a high comp from the film. It’s the last image created before they created the finished art used to make the Blade Runner movie poster.
This settlement has the potential to have a huge impact on other artists getting art returned to them that is rightfully theirs.
SO MANY artists important to film history have missing art, removed from studios or production houses. Some of those pieces are iconic and valuable, and are sold for large sums without the artists themselves or their families benefitting. It’s more than time for that to change. Along with John Alvin, other heroes of film illustration like Drew Struzan, the brothers Tim and Greg Hildebrand, Roger Kastel, and Bob Peak all had issues getting art returned. If someone steals a painting from the Louvre, the entire French government is engaged to get it back! It should be no different for the work by these all-too-unsung artists. Hopefully the recovery of John Alvin’s Blade Runner art is a portent of things to come. There are artists still working in the film industry today, as well as illustrators working in other industries like publishing or music that could benefit from this win. We are thrilled, and we think all movie and art lovers should be, too!
Andrea Alvin herself speaks to the importance of the Blade Runner settlement in the press release below:
====
LONG LOST BLADE RUNNER ART RECOVERED
LAWSUIT SETTLEMENT REPRESENTS A LANDMARK WIN FOR ILLUSTRATORS AND ARTISTS RIGHTS
Pittsburgh, PA (April 4, 2024)— A lawsuit brought by the Alvin Art Estate to halt what the estate claimed was the unauthorized sale of art belonging to the estate has been settled. The estate’s suit was led by Andrea Alvin, wife of movie poster artist and illustrator John Alvin. The settlement confirms ownership by the Alvin Estate of an original painting created in the making of the movie poster for Ridley Scott’s 1982 sci-fi classic, Blade Runner. The mixed media painting was a comprehensive, the closest to the final art used in making the key art for the finished Blade Runner movie poster, one of the most recognized sci-fi movie poster images in film history. The outcome will likely be used as a precedent in future lawsuits by artists working to get art back from those who have obtained it without purchase or permission of the artist.
John Alvin and many other artists working as freelancers in the film industry in the 70s, 80s, and 90s had contracts requiring the art be returned to the artist after being used in campaigns. However, there has long been a practice of people “finding artwork”, often removing it from flat files inside a studio, claiming ownership, and selling the art in a gray market. In those cases, the artists neither get the art back nor benefit from the sale of that art.
In the case of the Blade Runner art, Andrea Alvin, who is an artist and was equal partner in Alvin and Associates, discovered the art’s whereabouts when it appeared for sale at auction. She knew by the information included in the auction listing, that it had been purchased from an employee at Warner Brothers. Because Warner Brothers never owned the art, no employee at Warner Brothers could legally claim ownership or have permission or rights to possess and sell the art.
When contacted, Andrea Alvin offered this quote: “The Blade Runner and all artwork created in the process of the film campaigns to which John contributed represent his life’s work. Whether we keep art or it winds up in the collections of fans, these images are his legacy. We are pleased with the outcome, and so happy to now have control over its destiny, which is as it should be.”
Alvin further explains why this lawsuit provides a framework for other artists to recover original art: “Where the conflict comes in, and where people get confused, is there’s a difference between owning the publication rights and intellectual property, and owning the art itself. The settlement supports the idea that it’s possible to get art back into the rightful hands of the artists and creators.”
As a requirement of the settlement, the art will be sold through Heritage Auctions in the “Signature Hollywood Auction” to be held on July 13th and 14th of this year.
ABOUT JOHN ALVIN:
John Alvin (1948-2008) was an American cinematic artist and painter who illustrated some of the 20th century’s most iconic movie posters, working in the industry for over 35 years. He came into prominence by creating the poster art for Mel Brooks’ Blazing Saddles in 1974, and went on to design art for over 250 films, creating more images for Spielberg productions than any other single artist, including the poster art for Empire of the Sun, The Color Purple, Always, Jurassic Park, and E.T. His poster for Blade Runner, considered by many as one of the top classics of sci-fi, is immediately recognizable around the world. He also supplied specialized work for George Lucas and the Star Wars saga, with Alvin’s Star Wars Concert and Star Wars Tenth Anniversary images considered two of the most collectible posters of the entire franchise. He is also recognized for movie poster images from Disney’s New Golden Age. His posters for The Lion King, Beauty and the Beast, The Little Mermaid, and Aladdin are in part what led to Disney studio executive Fred Tio coining the phrase “Alvin-izing” in reference to his style. His work have been on display in museums across the world, including the Smithsonian Museum, which exhibited Alvin’s art for The Phantom of the Paradise as one of the best posters of the 20th century. John Alvin’s career places him as one of the most important figures in film art and Hollywood history. For more information, please visit https://johnalvinart.com/
====
You can see the art we currently have for sale by John Alvin HERE, but of course let us know if you’re interested in his work or the films he worked on… Although currently most of the Alvin art is part of the John Alvin Art Estate and unavailable for purchase, we do get limited edition and original art from time to time. It’s worth getting on our list!
Join us in congratulating the Alvin family, and in celebrating the importance of this for illustrators everywhere!