Slog - Comments on Consolidated Works: the Teardown

Comment by genevieve

genevieve — Mon, 10 Nov 2008 13:57:44 -0800

Replaced by a "slick-talking huckster"? Somehow I missed that part of the equation. Isn't he now the ED of Shunpike?

Nice photos. The death of ConWorks is certainly one of the saddest arts losses in the city in the time I've been here.

Comment by Scott Dow

Scott Dow — Mon, 10 Nov 2008 14:04:12 -0800

Yeah, what exactly happened B? I reread your articles any they don't really have any back story. Why was Matt shitcanned? What happened?

Comment by tomasyalba

tomasyalba — Mon, 10 Nov 2008 14:04:48 -0800

I performed the meanest breakup of my life right outside ConWorks there. Bittersweet for me to see the building erased.

Comment by Brendan Kiley

Brendan Kiley — Mon, 10 Nov 2008 14:05:34 -0800

The huckster I was referring to was Corey Pearlstein.

Comment by Brendan Kiley

Brendan Kiley — Mon, 10 Nov 2008 14:09:04 -0800

@ 2.

A paragraph from the first linked story:

"For those just tuning in: Consolidated Works is�was?�a multidisciplinary arts center founded and run by Richter alongside fine folks such as visual-art curator Meg Shiffler (who left to attend Bard) and managing director Sarah Wilke (who left to become managing director of On the Boards). In February 2005, the board unanimously voted to fire Richter, giving him an ignominious 10 minutes to clean out his desk and leave the building. Board president Robb Krieg refused to explain the board's rationale and the reasons are still the subject of speculation. Current president Allena Gabosch�also board president of 'sex-positive community center' the Wet Spot�replaced Krieg in April."

Nobody will ever know exactly what went down. Krieg fired Richter and wouldn't explain why (at least publicly). Richter claimed not to know why, either. It was an ugly moment.

Comment by Lucky

Lucky — Mon, 10 Nov 2008 14:10:17 -0800

If I remember right, ConWorks had these great sponsor signs - like those in an established theater or museum, that state "the so-and-so theatre made possible by the generous donation of Blank" except they were on the bathroom stalls, sinks, urinals, etc. If I'd donated a toilet there, I'd want my sign back.

Comment by class of "85

class of "85 — Mon, 10 Nov 2008 14:10:26 -0800

Those theater seats were originally from my high school. I hope that the metal scrap guys are able to salvage them.

Comment by COMTE

COMTE — Mon, 10 Nov 2008 14:31:41 -0800

*Sigh!* It was bound to happen sooner or later, but still sad to see the place go. Nice that Matt was the one to give the place a proper send-off; it was after all, his "baby" from the very beginning - with a lot of mid-wives pitching in along the way.

I'm just amazed that it appears the place was literally abandoned, and nobody - presumably the ConWorks Board - even thought enough to try to strip-out some of the quite still useful fixtures & furnishings.

Ah well, at least Annex salvaged those ugly orange couches from the rest rooms, as well as the show blacks, so I'll always have those as reminders every time I see them.

Comment by genevieve

genevieve — Mon, 10 Nov 2008 14:31:51 -0800

@4 - I knew you meant Pearlstein, but he didn't come to CW until well after Richter was fired, right? I don't remember hearing anything about him, or really about CW at all after he came on board, until it closed, and Shunpike seems to be doing ok.

I don't know him or have any allegiance to him, but I figured he got kind of a bad deal too, coming in to an organization (from out of town) that had shot itself in the foot. *shrugs*

Comment by K

Mon, 10 Nov 2008 14:43:15 -0800

We never go to galleries/arthouses/whatever, but we've been to ConWorks 4-5 times. Last time was to see Negativland. \m/

Noplace else did nor does seem to quite compare with ConWorks in scope of some of the things that appeared there.

Comment by Garth

Garth — Mon, 10 Nov 2008 15:00:49 -0800

Well, there goes one of the coolest spaces in Seattle. Past year I've been praying some renegade CEO would have a midlife crisis and bring it back from the dead, but. Guess not.

Comment by lola

lola — Mon, 10 Nov 2008 15:07:24 -0800

@1 & 9 - Are you thinking of Andy Fife? He was the Ops Manager at ConWorks during Corey Pearlstein's brief tenure. Fife is now Shunpike's utterly non-huckster Executive Director.

Comment by MadDog

MadDog — Mon, 10 Nov 2008 15:43:35 -0800

I went down on Saturday and hung my arms on the chain link fence, stared into a room I made two pieces in (the "solo" show room) right next to the roll up door and shed a tear. Dont forget the others who helped bring the ship down...Such amazing memories in that building.....

Comment by Trevor

Trevor — Mon, 10 Nov 2008 16:51:22 -0800

It's hard for me to get worked up about this. Conworks was great. But it existed by the good graces of Vulcan, which transparently used it to help gentrify the neighborhood (and host fundraisers for Mayor Nickels). With SLU's redevelopment well underway, it can now be demolished. No big surprise, though, even if a little sad.

Comment by Scott Kennedy

Scott Kennedy — Tue, 11 Nov 2008 04:54:59 -0800

ConWorks was one of those rare, true community projects - great people from many disciplines came together and help build and run a vibrant space, featuring bold, original work, and unforgettable parties. And it all started because Matt Richter had an idea, and kept working to make it happen. Thanks Matt, and may your relentless spirit of 'doing' become contagious.

Comment by Jeffrey Meyer

Jeffrey Meyer — Tue, 11 Nov 2008 11:04:13 -0800

I saw Tarkovsky's "Stalker" there in a room with maybe six other people. The projector - both of them, actually - kept breaking down, and an already long film was made even longer. Some girl fell in love with me that night (so she likes to remind me) and it remains one of the best filmgoing experiences of my life.