The plaintiffs purchased their partnership interests in 1970 and 1971, relying on the audited financial statements provided by the defendant. However, in 1974, ADE filed for bankruptcy. Subsequently, in October 1975, a court-appointed receiver filed a report revealing for the first time that the 1970 financial statements had been materially misstated due to the negligence of the defendants. The plaintiffs filed a lawsuit for accounting malpractice in August 1976.

Remains a benchmark for collaborative, cross-disciplinary art projects.