Big trouble for Art of Banksy exhibit in Chicago

Looks like a venue selection for the "Art of Banksy" exhibit is just as elusive as the artist himself. In an unusual change of circumstances, organizers for the exhibit are "nowhere to be found" according to David Chase, co-founder of the West Loop venue, Epiphany Center for the Arts, where the exhibition was to be held. (TAOB organizers blame frequent changes to agreements between the two sides for the decision to move the event to an as yet undisclosed location). 

“Despite numerous good faith attempts, we have not been able to come to terms on a lease that would allow the team behind The Art of Banksy to host their exhibit at our West Loop venue, Epiphany Center for the Arts," Chase said in a statement. "After weeks of planning and negotiations that included design and construction details specific to Epiphany’s historic spaces, including the flow of TAOB patrons throughout the exhibition and Epiphany’s common areas, we have reached a dead end. The team behind TAOB has ceased communicating with Epiphany and, after nearly a month of negotiations and preparations, all efforts to move forward with a rental agreement have gone unanswered. Like the elusive Banksy himself, the team behind The Art of Banksy is nowhere to be found." Chase said, based on "this curious and unexpected predicament," the studio has "no choice but to conclude that TAOB will not take place at Epiphany as previously announced."

Organizers' social media posts say that the event has not been canceled, and that they are seeking a new venue.

The venue said ticket sales were done exclusively through the exhibit's organizers and those with questions surrounding tickets or ticket refunds should contact (844) 871-1358 or www.banksyexhibit.com. (Calls to the above ticket number went unanswered as of Thursday morning.)

The Art of Banksy, the largest touring exhibition of authentic Banksy artworks in the world, announced July 1 that the Chicago exhibition would be held at the Epiphany Center for the Arts, 201 S. Ashland Ave., a 42,000-square-foot venue for art, entertainment and events on the "artsy' edge of the city’s West Loop neighborhood.

The core of the exhibition was to be presented in the campus’ Epiphany Hall, formerly known as The Church of the Epiphany, a landmark building constructed in 1885 and listed on the National Register of Historic Places. At the time, organizers said, "The “Epiphany Center for the Arts’ historic atmosphere offers an ideal setting in which to present The Art of Banksy."

That doesn't seem to be the case now.