Art Heist was Yaya Brown’s first solo show at Satellite Art Show showcasing over 180 paintings. The show invited guests to come and steal one painting each over the course of a 3 hour long “heist”. The goal was to make a gallery show more than just a social networking event and instead an activity that encourage play and joy. It was also an effort to de-emphasize the preciousness of singular pieces of art and instead emphasize experience and the catharsis of letting things go.

“Galleries sit empty for weeks and then suddenly one random Thursday night it’s the loudest and most crowded space in the city. I have always hated galleries for how sterile and lifeless they are but I hate gallery openings even more. It’s always too crowded and loud to actually enjoy the art and if you do end up enjoying the work, there is no way you will ever be able to own or even see it again. I wanted to make a show that I would actually enjoy going to. For me, that meant some kind of game or activity, a strong playful theme, and the ability to steal the art.” -Yaya Brown

Photos taken by Claudia Shi and Kyle Colon