I found photo albums thrown out to the curb in front of a demolished house. There was apparently no one left to care for all these mementos and no way of finding out who these people were. The photos were so precious that I wanted to preserve them in some form. To me, they represented all the millions of people who have passed through this city. Each picture is unique and yet so universal that it could be from anyone’s family. They look like my ancestors and perhaps like your’s too. I took some of the photos out of the albums and surrounded them with bits and pieces of abandoned Buffalo – graffiti, empty houses and decaying landscapes. It is my attempt to put the past and present together and to honor these unknown people. I hope their spirits are happy being part of this art and not just discarded as trash.
You can meet and 'adopt' these ancestors at Gallery 464 (464 Amherst Street, Buffalo NY) They are also available in Niagara Falls at the Holiday Market until Christmas. You can also see a selection in my studio at the Tri-Main Center. (Studio 509 - 2495 Main St. Buffalo - Just ring my door bell!)
