Ghosts of Flesh Ave
Brainfreeze, Seattle, WA
September 2017
video projection, mirrors, cardboard, wood, latex paint
dimensions variable
I spent two years working as an exotic dancer the world famous Lusty Lady, an icon of 1st Avenue’s history as Seattle’s adult entertainment district, aka “Flesh Avenue”. It closed in 2010 amidst the gentrification of Downtown Seattle and the transition of adult entertainment from brick and mortar to virtual.
I loved dancing at the Lusty. My coworkers were amazing and I gleaned valuable insight into the intersection of sex, desire, gender and capitalism. Very few peep shows remain presently and any that do are surely endangered. While inevitable, it is a loss. Internet pornography is abundant and convenient (perhaps too much so) but I can’t help but feel like is pales in comparison to the thrill and human connection of “live nude girls!”
Years after the closure, the building stood empty and derelict and still does to this day. For a period of time, artists curated shows there and I was given the opportunity to craft this homage to the once sordid and magical peep show.
The site specific installation consisted of the elements of the original peep show deconstructed and reconfigured. It stood on the precise location of the Lusty’s former stage. Viewers could engage with the work as either voyeur or entertainer, admiring their shadows and reflections, or putting on a show for those lurking on the other side of the wall.
