Next month, when art critics around the world compile their "Best of 2010" lists, it's quite likely that included on many of the lists will be a group art exhibition that nobody actually saw--its location is still undisclosed to the public.

Earlier this week, we learned that since 2008 a small group of the world's best contemporary artists had been secretly, and illegally, heading underground into the dark New York City subway system to create a collection of massive original works in a long abandoned and forgotten subway station. Known as The Underbelly Project, this incredibly ambitious and dangerous undertaking brings together original works by over 100 artists that include such rising art stars as Swoon, Faile, Ron English, and many, many others.

Curated by PAC and Workhorse (both pseudonyms to keep their true identities unknown), it is likely that the location of this subterranean project will remain unknown for decades to come, as all of the equipment used to enter and exit the location has been destroyed and the artists themselves sworn to secrecy.

For us, the Underbelly Project pushes the boundaries of our definition of art. Does art need to be in a Chelsea gallery to be deserving of our attention and acclaim? Can creative expression be done in private, for personal reflection only, or does it need to be validated by the public to be deemed as "Art"? Because The Underbelly Project raises all of these questions and provides no clear answers, it is truly Character Approved.

[Image: Katherine Lorimer]