Vancouver Police Break Into Gallery to Rescue Sculpture Mistaken for Person in Distress
On August 14, 2026, around 11 PM in Vancouver, emergency services responded to a mistaken alarm at Access Gallery, prompted by a viewer confusing a sculpture for a person in distress. The piece, titled Untitled [The Preparator] and created by Allysa Pierre, illustrates an art handler with their body inside a crate. The gallery's director, Saghi Ehteshamzadeh, reported that first responders inadvertently damaged the lock during their entry, mistaking it for a burglary. Seeking reimbursement for the C$1,000 replacement, Ehteshamzadeh is now taking precautions by covering the sculpture overnight as the gallery prepares for its 35th anniversary fundraising efforts.
Key facts
- Police and firefighters broke into Access Gallery in Vancouver on 14 August 2026.
- The sculpture Untitled [The Preparator] by Allysa Pierre was mistaken for a person in distress.
- The work is part of the group exhibition Pending, on view until 1 October.
- Access Gallery is located on East Georgia Street in Vancouver's downtown eastside.
- Director Saghi Ehteshamzadeh received a call from police about an emergency at the gallery.
- First responders broke the gallery's lock to enter.
- A locksmith named Cameo replaced the lock for C$1,000 ($720).
- The gallery now covers the sculpture at night to avoid future incidents.
Entities
Artists
- Allysa Pierre
- Alyssa Pierre
Institutions
- Access Gallery
- Vancouver Police Department
- CityNews
- Hyperallergic
- City of Vancouver
Locations
- Vancouver
- Canada
- East Georgia Street
- downtown eastside
- Downtown Eastside
- British Columbia