B.

Gone in (under) 60 seconds

Behind the scenes

For the past 11 months we've displayed a large scale copy of the Dick Frizzell work Contacts on the rear wall of the Centre of Contemporary Art next door to the gallery.

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We knew when we installed the work that the location would be temporary. The rear extension part of the CoCA building was slated for demolition.

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Malcolm the digger driver who was in charge of the demolition called me at 7.30 Friday night to tell me they'd be taking the rear wall of the building down in about an hour if I wanted to come for a final look. Although living in Christchurch right now you get to see a lot of demolition, most of the art works we have installed are still standing. Watching one of our works be demolished would be a new experience.

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Malcolm explained in some detail how he'd cleared out the inside of the building, leaving one side wall and the rear wall with the mural on it. He then very carefully removed the side wall. He backed the digger out from inside and then pulled the rear wall over from the top left corner.

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It was all over very suddenly with a thunderous crash and a large dust cloud. All that's left of the wall today is an ever-diminishing pile of rubble as the work is taken away block by block.

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