An exhibit at the Penticton Art Gallery is honouring Cree artist Alvin Elif Constant, also known by many as the Wandering Spirit, who sold his work on the streets of Vancouver and Victoria.
The exhibit, titled In Search of Wandering Spirit, features artworks that have been donated by family, friends and the general public.
Born in the James Smith Cree Nation in Saskatchewan, Constant’s world revolved around art, according to his sister Shirley Constant.
“I used to watch him for hours doing his artwork, he was so at peace,” she said.
Constant died in 2006, after freezing to death on the streets of Calgary.
Shirley remembers her brother as mischievous, curious and generous.
North by Northwest14:54“In Search of Wandering Spirit: Alvin Elif Constant” at the Penticton Art Gallery
Featured VideoAlvin Elif Constant (1946-2006) was a Cree artist known as “Wandering Spirit” who would often sell his work on the streets of Vancouver and Victoria. Alvin died in the winter of 2006, when he froze to death on the streets of Calgary. The Penticton Art Gallery opened a retrospective of his work titled “In Search of Wandering Spirit” which runs until Jan. 20th, 2024. Alvin’s sister Shirley Constant and PAG curator Paul Crawford joined NXNW to reflect on the artiist’s life and work.
Shirley says he was also given the nickname “Angel” by many who encountered him, because he was always helping people in need.
“When he saw a need arise … people having no shirt, no shoes, no food, he would go out and sell a painting and he would go back to that person and buy them shoes and whatnot,” she said.
The exhibit’s curator, Paul Crawford, says Constant touched the lives of thousands — including his own — while selling art on the streets.
Crawford was around 12 years old, he says, when he first encountered Constant selling his paintings in downtown Vancouver. Watching the artist work, Crawford says he was immediately mesmerized.
Alvin Elif Constant’s sister, Shirley Constant, remembers him as mischievous, curious and generous, always helping out people in need. (Ron Marsh)
While attending the University of Victoria a decade later, Crawford encountered Constant regularly selling his artwork in Victoria, and would often engage in brief conversation.
“I was amazed by this individual and watching him create art,” said Crawford, director and curator at the Penticton Art Gallery.
“He stuck with me all these years, I never forgot the man.”
Constant’s work stuck with Crawford so much that he decided to curate a retrospective of his work.
He reached out to Constant’s family and began crowdsourcing for artworks, with the largest donation coming from a friend of Constant’s, who donated 40 paintings.
‘Like a shining star’
Crawford says most street artists will never see their works in a public museum or art gallery — and he says this should change.
“I hope we can shift that narrative of how people look and value the works of all these artists and put them into greater historical context,” he said.
Since the exhibit opened in mid-November, Crawford says many people who have met Constant have reached out, and the gallery has received additional artwork.
“It’s remarkable hearing the peoples’ stories that met him and maybe never thought about him again but walk in the gallery and see the show and have this emotional flood,” he said.
For Shirley, seeing the exhibit full of her brother’s work was humbling and heartwarming.
“My heart was touched,” said Shirley. “My brother is coming out like a shining star.”
LONDON (AP) — With a few daubs of a paintbrush, the Brontë sisters have got their dots back.
More than eight decades after it was installed, a memorial to the three 19th-century sibling novelists in London’s Westminster Abbey was amended Thursday to restore the diaereses – the two dots over the e in their surname.
The dots — which indicate that the name is pronounced “brontay” rather than “bront” — were omitted when the stone tablet commemorating Charlotte, Emily and Anne was erected in the abbey’s Poets’ Corner in October 1939, just after the outbreak of World War II.
They were restored after Brontë historian Sharon Wright, editor of the Brontë Society Gazette, raised the issue with Dean of Westminster David Hoyle. The abbey asked its stonemason to tap in the dots and its conservator to paint them.
“There’s no paper record for anyone complaining about this or mentioning this, so I just wanted to put it right, really,” Wright said. “These three Yorkshire women deserve their place here, but they also deserve to have their name spelled correctly.”
It’s believed the writers’ Irish father Patrick changed the spelling of his surname from Brunty or Prunty when he went to university in England.
Raised on the wild Yorkshire moors, all three sisters died before they were 40, leaving enduring novels including Charlotte’s “Jane Eyre,” Emily’s “Wuthering Heights” and Anne’s “The Tenant of Wildfell Hall.”
Rebecca Yorke, director of the Brontë Society, welcomed the restoration.
“As the Brontës and their work are loved and respected all over the world, it’s entirely appropriate that their name is spelled correctly on their memorial,” she said.
In a case that has sent shockwaves through the Vancouver Island art community, a local art dealer has been charged with one count of fraud over $5,000. Calvin Lucyshyn, the former operator of the now-closed Winchester Galleries in Oak Bay, faces the charge after police seized hundreds of artworks, valued in the tens of millions of dollars, from various storage sites in the Greater Victoria area.
Alleged Fraud Scheme
Police allege that Lucyshyn had been taking valuable art from members of the public under the guise of appraising or consigning the pieces for sale, only to cut off all communication with the owners. This investigation began in April 2022, when police received a complaint from an individual who had provided four paintings to Lucyshyn, including three works by renowned British Columbia artist Emily Carr, and had not received any updates on their sale.
Further investigation by the Saanich Police Department revealed that this was not an isolated incident. Detectives found other alleged victims who had similar experiences with Winchester Galleries, leading police to execute search warrants at three separate storage locations across Greater Victoria.
Massive Seizure of Artworks
In what has become one of the largest art fraud investigations in recent Canadian history, authorities seized approximately 1,100 pieces of art, including more than 600 pieces from a storage site in Saanich, over 300 in Langford, and more than 100 in Oak Bay. Some of the more valuable pieces, according to police, were estimated to be worth $85,000 each.
Lucyshyn was arrested on April 21, 2022, but was later released from custody. In May 2024, a fraud charge was formally laid against him.
Artwork Returned, but Some Remain Unclaimed
In a statement released on Monday, the Saanich Police Department confirmed that 1,050 of the seized artworks have been returned to their rightful owners. However, several pieces remain unclaimed, and police continue their efforts to track down the owners of these works.
Court Proceedings Ongoing
The criminal charge against Lucyshyn has not yet been tested in court, and he has publicly stated his intention to defend himself against any pending allegations. His next court appearance is scheduled for September 10, 2024.
Impact on the Local Art Community
The news of Lucyshyn’s alleged fraud has deeply affected Vancouver Island’s art community, particularly collectors, galleries, and artists who may have been impacted by the gallery’s operations. With high-value pieces from artists like Emily Carr involved, the case underscores the vulnerabilities that can exist in art transactions.
For many art collectors, the investigation has raised concerns about the potential for fraud in the art world, particularly when it comes to dealing with private galleries and dealers. The seizure of such a vast collection of artworks has also led to questions about the management and oversight of valuable art pieces, as well as the importance of transparency and trust in the industry.
As the case continues to unfold in court, it will likely serve as a cautionary tale for collectors and galleries alike, highlighting the need for due diligence in the sale and appraisal of high-value artworks.
While much of the seized artwork has been returned, the full scale of the alleged fraud is still being unraveled. Lucyshyn’s upcoming court appearances will be closely watched, not only by the legal community but also by the wider art world, as it navigates the fallout from one of Canada’s most significant art fraud cases in recent memory.
Art collectors and individuals who believe they may have been affected by this case are encouraged to contact the Saanich Police Department to inquire about any unclaimed pieces. Additionally, the case serves as a reminder for anyone involved in high-value art transactions to work with reputable dealers and to keep thorough documentation of all transactions.
As with any investment, whether in art or other ventures, it is crucial to be cautious and informed. Art fraud can devastate personal collections and finances, but by taking steps to verify authenticity, provenance, and the reputation of dealers, collectors can help safeguard their valuable pieces.
