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SALT LAKE CITY -- An unusual art show is set to open in Salt Lake where an individual can walk out of the gallery with one of the show pieces and not pay for it.
But there is a catch.
You have to be the person who created the work in the first place.
The Rio Gallery has a warehouse full of artwork dating back several decades that they would like to return to their original owners.
There are probably a lot of artists out there who don't know they're in a show right now because this artwork has gone unclaimed for the past 40 years.
–Laura Durham
"There are probably a lot of artists out there who don't know they're in a show right now because this artwork has gone unclaimed for the past 40 years," said Laura Durham, manager of Rio Gallery.
The "Unclaimed Art Show" is set to showcase several dozen pieces of artwork that artists have forgotten about or simply donated.
"A lot of these pieces were submitted to competitions that we have," Durham said. "Some of them were rejected; some were accepted. But when it was time to pick up their artwork, the artists just never showed up."
The art show includes several photographs, paintings and bizarre sculptures dating back to 1985. All of the items have been locked up in the Rio Gallery's warehouse, with many never being seen before.
The artists range from high school age to professional.
"We've got photographs from Kent Miles; we've got paintings by Jossy Lownes and Christopher Shill," Durham said. "Really good artists, really good printmakers. People that you've probably heard of."
With a two week gap in its art show calendar, the Rio Gallery decided to put on the art show in hopes that some of the original artists might see them.
"So maybe if they see their artwork on display, they can just come and take it on their way out," said Durham.
The "Unclaimed Art Show" begins Monday, May 23, and runs through June 9.
E-mail: kmccord@ksl.com
