2021 marks twenty years since artist Michael Landy’s radical project, ‘Break Down’, a commission by Artangel which took place on Oxford Street, London, from 10 – 24 Feb 2001.

For ‘Break Down’, Michael created an inventory of his every possession, each to be destroyed at a specially constructed facility modelled on a material reclamation factory, installed in the recently closed C&A department store on Oxford Street.

The artist set about systematically deconstructing, pulping and granulating all 7,227 of his worldly possessions with the help of a team of operatives and a dedicated car mechanic. After two weeks, Michael was left with only the clothes he was wearing on the final day of ‘Break Down’.

This exhibition ‘Michael Landy’s Break Down: 20 Years’ offers an opportunity to revisit and explore the project through archive materials, including press clippings, video recordings and a series of photographs taken by German artist, Wolfgang Tillmans of Michael’s possessions being destroyed.

Organised and curated by Thomas Dane Gallery, London, the showing at Firstsite coincides with the exhibition ‘Michael Landy’s Welcome to Essex’ which features specially commissioned artworks about Essex.

Read more about the 20th anniversary of Break Down in Dr Stacy Boldrick’s essay: Michael Landy’s Break Down: 20 Years (external link)