Love and Sex in Buffalo (Peepshow 2008)

Squeaky Wheel has to be Buffalo's coolest art organization. They are are always doing interesting work in and with the community and the Peepshow Biennial tops the list of one of the events not to have missed. Jesica and I participated in 2006 with an installation at the Hotel Lenox. It was a fun show in which we placed work in various hotel rooms.

This year the event was held at the Broadway Market in central Buffalo. For those of you who conjure up thoughts of a thriving, cozy market such as Pike Place Market in Seattle, perhaps not. Buffalo's Broadway market is in central Buffalo and is surrounded by a few business, lots of empty buildings and urban flight. This once thriving area now a feels like something out of a B movie set. Broadway market apparently really revs up around Easter and is punctuated year round by some Polish businesses, food stands, knick knacks, etc.. (thumbs up on the polish sausage and saurekrat by the way).

Peepshow 2008 was pure rock-n-roll. As was the last Peepshow, most of the installations and performances were mediocre in form and aesthetics, but high on humor, wit, drag, and good times. The whole atmosphere of the market was filled with loud bands that made me think I was in Detroit (maybe it was the White Strips (ish) sound) One of the highlights of the actual art work was Jody (from the Albright Knox Art Gallery) and Mark's piece. Jody was telling me yesterday at the Science Spot, that her and Mark originally conceived the piece in NYC in 2006 and re-did the work especially for Peepshow 2008.

Jody Hanson, Mark McLoughlin (a real Seattlite living here in Buffalo via 8 years in Brooklyn) projection, pinhole photos, Original 2006/2008

The folks at Squeaky Wheel should really be congratulated for the great work they do. From community activism, educational workshops (I have taken 3 now), and fun events, they are one of Buffalo's great assets. Executive Director Dorthea Braemer is also an amazing person. Her and her partner (Carl Lee) warm generosity, passion for art, and community mindedness is an inspiration and model to me in creating a vibrant, positive place to live and create.