Hiking on Ohio Street in
Buffalo, where the train tracks, silos and canals all intersect, we found a
campsite behind a bush growing out of the abandoned rails. Travelers had built
a fire and drunk some beers. One of them had thrown out his toy collection. I
am guessing it was a boy by the amount of little trucks and cars, a boy who
saved all his Happy Meal toys when he had the chance. For some reason it was time to leave
them behind. Deer scat by the charred wood gave evidence of other life passing
through this trail as well. Nearby were live rails with graffiti-covered train
cars leading towards the General Mills plant. I like to imagine these “wayward
teenagers, adventure seekers and high school runaways”* having a good, safe
stop in Buffalo before the next part of their journey. Did some of them go back
home or keep crisscrossing the country? I wish them well and thank that unknown boy for his toys.
The Kang piece became the
center of this assemblage. Kang and Kodos, the alien figures from the animated
Simpsons TV show, have landed in Buffalo close the campsite. A sub-surfaced mounted photograph of
the site framed with a discarded drawer keeps this world together. Graphics of
the Simpsons and graffiti copied off one of the train cars are painted on the
sidewalls. Altogether, it’s my landscape painting.
*More on TRAVELERS: The quote is from Mike Brodie’s book,
“A Period of Juvenile Prosperity.” Brodie spent years 4 years as a traveler,
documenting his experience by photographing his friends as he put on 50,000
miles through 46 US states. Amazing pictures from inside this world.
