WRECK CITY | an epilogue for 809
In April 2013, WRECK CITY organized WRECK CITY: An Epilogue for 809, a community‐based art experiment transforming 9 houses, 3 garages, and a greenhouse scheduled for demolition into temporary art, installation, and performance spaces. 150+ artists, musicians, and performers participated in WRECK CITY, salvaging materials from the homes to create a chaotic and engaging exhibition, made possible only by the freedom of working inside houses soon to be destroyed.
Instigated as an epilogue for 809 Gallery, one of Calgary’s influential garage galleries (scheduled for demolition with the rest of the homes), WRECK CITY was a swan song for the history of the neighbourhood, a playful comment on Calgary’s demolition addiction, and an opportunity to cultivate a new community of artists amidst the rubble of an entire city block. After opening its doors to the public, WRECK CITY was visited by 10,000 people over the course of nine days. Finite in nature, the ongoing power of WRECK CITY is the community of artists it created, the relationships it catalyzed, conversations it ignited, and a new recognition of Calgary’s potential as a constantly changing environment.
WRECK CITY was self-initiated and self-directed by Calgary-based Artists and Curators. WRECK CITY received funding from The Awesome Foundation, a Venue Sponsorship through Bucci Developments Ltd, hundreds of donorations via Invest YYC, and a project grant from Alberta Foundation for the Arts, alongside much sweat equity invested by artists and curators (thank you <3)
In 2016, Director Ramin Eshraghi-Yazdi released a 60-minute documentary film called WRECK CITY: An Epilogue for 809, chronicling the project. The film debuted to a sold-out audience during the Calgary Underground Film Festival in April 2016, and is currently scheduled for Festival and Television circulation.
For more information about this project, visit the blog:
WRECK CITY CURATORS
Andrew Frosst, Brandon A. Dalmer, Caitlind r.c. Brown, Jennifer Crighton, John Frosst & Kenna Burima, Matthew Mark Bourree, Ryan McClure Scott, and Shawn Mankowske
WRECK CITY PARTICIPANTS
Aaron Giovannone
Alex Achtem
Alex Kirth
Alex Moon
Alia Shahab
Amy Siegel
Andrea Williamson
Andrew Rodrigues
Aran Wilkinson-Blanc
Bobby V
Bogdan Cheta
Brad Hawkins
Brian Schirk
Buddies in Bad Times Collective (Bogdan Cheta, Latifa Pelletier, Alex Steinitz, and Jill Armstrong)
Burro
Camille Betts
Chris Dadge
Christine Weera
Cimmeron Meyer and Janet Mader
Cody Swinkles
Dana Buzzee
Daniel J. Kirk
Desiree Nault
Eddie Dalrymple
Eddie Nyikes
Eric Heitmann
Eric M. Hamelin
Erika Andriashek
FarLee Mowat
Foon Yap
Fuck Off Dad
Full Spectrum Arts Collective (Brian Batista, Ola Birch,
Eric Smith, Jordan Hollenbeck, Sabrina Zbinden, Jennifer
Buggins, Bruce Watson, and Keelan Baldwin)
Ghostkeeper
Groon
Hannah Doerksen
Hye-Seung Jung
Ivan Ostapenko
Jack Bride
Jason Dyck, Chad Peters, and Dan Zimmerman
Jay Sinclair
JD Mersault
Jeremy Pavka
Jessica McCarrel
Jim Laing and Jordan Paslan
Joe Kelly
Joleen Toner
Jordan Pasiuk
Joshua Alan Fraser
Karly Mortimer
Kataryna Gajewska
Katarzyna Koralewska
Kelly Jacqueline Smith
Kelsey Fraser
Kenna Burima
Kiarra Albina
Kris Lindskroog
Lane Shordee
Larry McDowell
Lauren Simms
Lea Bucknell
Lindsay Sorell and Tammy Primeau
Mackenzie Boyle
Marci Simkulet and Stefanie Wong
Megan Kirk (Jane Trash)
Melissa Croden
Mikhail Miller
Morris Fox
Natalie MacLean
Nate McLeod and Randy Niessen
Palmer Olson
Prospect Human Services
Ramin Eshraghi-Yazdi
Rebecca Noone
Renato Vitic
Rob Knudson
Robin Lambert
Ryan Statz
Sarah Adams
Sarah Storteboom
Sarah Van Sloten
Sasha Foster
Seventeen
Stacey Watson
Steven Cottingham
Stevyn Mars & Shelley Arnush
Studio North (Matthew Kennedy & Mark Erickson)
Suki (Kira) Sawatzsky
Suzen Green
Svea Ferguson
Teela Jensen, Catalina Pop, and Katarzyna Gajewska
Terrance J. Houle
The Bum Family (Maezy Dennie, Medina Dennie, Zaiyah Dennie, Miró Demuth, Berlin Demuth, Ocean Demuth, Sol Demuth, Colton Willier, Xstine Cook, Heather Cook, and Amy Willier)
The Holgans
The Pine Tarts (Leslie Bell, Chris Bell, Jesse J. Powell)
The Satisfactory (Mynthia McDaniel & Jane Durham)
This Hisses
Tia Halliday
Tiffany Wollman
Tomas Jonsson
Wayne Garrett
Wednesday Lupypciw
Whitney Ota
WRECK CITY Rec Centre (Laura Lief, Dana Schloss, and Kristi Woo)
Yvonne Kustec
Yvonne Mullock
DOCUMENTARY FILMMAKER
PHOTOGRAPHER
Special Thanks!
The Roasterie
Our Volunteers!
Our many awesome donors!
Venue Sponsor
Bucci Developments
Sponsors
The Awesome Foundation
Alberta Foundation for the Arts