Game Over (installation)

Date: 1994

Region: North America

Subject: Political/Social/Economic Opinion

Medium: Mixed Media Installation


Artist: E.G. Crichton, Mary Tsiongas

Confronting Bodies: Pavilion shopping center officials

Dates of Action: 1994

Location: San Jose, California

Description of Artwork: A mixed-media installation containing lights and mirrored reflections throughout the shopping center. The piece, entitled Game Over, reflected the character of the mall after a number of stores had vacated.

The Incident: The San Jose Art League, working within the Pavilion shopping center, contracted Crichton and Tsiongas to design and construct an exhibit throughout the center. The contract agreed that the piece would not have any negative effects on the shopping center. The artists sent a press release describing their work, referring the the mall's difficulty maintaining businesses, which the Pavilion owners considered portraying the shopping center in a negative light. The mall responded by refusing the installation even before construction began.

Results of Incident: The installation was cancelled and Crichton and Tsiongas were forbidden to work on future Pavilion projects.

Source: Artistic Expression Under Attack, 1995.