Wednesday, June 14, 2006

Digging Pitt was started by New York artist, John Morris, with these goals:

1) To create an open-ended, accessible way to introduce the creative output of the region.
2) To create an affordable and practical way for people to see and buy the works of emerging artists.
3) To create a viable way to introduce work to audiences outside of the region.
4) To create a forum for experimentation and artistic collaboration between artists.

Too often galleries and museums act as the places where a passive art "audience" is force-fed the work they "should see" as determined by a small base of curators, dealers, critics and collectors. The logic is inexorable and brutal: shows are expensive-therefore only certain artists can be worthy of the huge investment. How are these artists found? In previous shows dictated by the same logic. The result is a largely closed loop with few entrances. (Such as coming through the "right MFA" program.)

Outside are the huge bulk of artists, often with very worthy work for whom the system is almost impenetrable.

Digging Pitt is meant to act as a one of the new holes in the gallery system. A place where the works of new emerging and under recognized artists can be seen. It is modeled after the legendary Pierogi2000 gallery in Brooklyn. It is a do it yourself gallery, requiring the viewers active involvement to come to life.

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