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WHEREAS, artists and creative thinkers who reimagine unused spaces, contribute to the City of Pittsburgh's blossoming art scene, and make our City more appealing to visitors and tourists; and
WHERAS, Evan Mirapaul, a local art collector and resident of the Troy Hill community on Pittsburgh's Northside, purchased a home in the neighborhood in 2011 through a Treasurer's Sale after the house had been vacant and abandoned for several years; and
WHEREAS, inspired by the Art House Project on Naoshimi Island in Japan where artists have creatively repurposed abandoned homes, Evan commissioned the Hamburg, Germany-based artist, Thorsten Brinkmann, to come to Pittsburgh and turn the Rialto Street home into an art project installation; and
WHEREAS, the project, which eventually became known as La Hϋtte Royal, looks like a normal, single-family home from the outside that blends in with the surrounding neighborhood, however the inside of La Hϋtte Royal is now totally transformed with art installations, photographic art, sculpture, and secret passageways; and
WHEREAS, La Hϋtte Royal has garnered accolades in international art publications such as Wallpaper, Art in America, and Artillery, fueled countless blog posts in cyberspace, and inspired the publication of two editions by the noted German publisher Hatje Cantz ; and
WHEREAS, Evan Mirapaul offers tours of La Hϋtte Royal by appointment, free of charge, for anyone interested in experiencing this unique art installation; and
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NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Council of the City of Pittsburgh does hereby recognize and honor Evan Mirapaul, Thorsten Brinkmann, and all others who assisted in the creation of La Hϋtte Royal - most notably Anne Stone, Gavin White, and Daniel Menges - for transforming an abandoned home into a one of a kind, world-renowned modern art work; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Council of the City of Pittsburgh does hereby declare Tuesday April 29, 2014 to be "Evan Mirapaul Day" in the City of Pittsburgh.