Exhibition To Be Destroyed, Again: From The Helen Pitt Gallery Archive at The Ministry of Casual Living

This will be a reconstruction of an episode from 1983, when the Unit/Pitt Gallery was at 163 W. Pender, Vancouver. "Exhibition to be destroyed" was supposed to end with a closing party where the works were destroyed, but anonymous individuals broke in to the gallery and stole the show, leaving a ransom note threatening to "appreciate" the work if certain demands were not met. For the rest of the exhibition, including a visit by G&M art critic John Bentley Mays, the gallery was closed and the oversized ransom note displayed on the door.
A local, former Helen Pitt member will periodically haunt the exhibit, folding space, time and anecdotal sabotage into the project.
This project was presented with the support of BC Arts Council, Canada Council, 2010 Legacies Now and City of Vancouver.

Curated by Rita O'Grady
Facilitated by Keith Higgins
Exhibit until Aug. 26, 2010