Steve's Vinyl (2011)

Steve’s Vinyl was an art installation and performance giveaway of the nearly two-hundred vinyl records left to me by my late brother, Steve Busby (1953-1993), a gay man who died of an AIDS-related illness. Taking place at the Khyber Centre for the Arts, the event was organized to coincide with World AIDS Day (Dec 3, 2011).

At the event, party-goers were given a number. Once selected, they could chose a vinyl record and were invited to leave a mark on the wall in its place. Many chose to replicate the cover art, while others left a thank you note for Steve. The MC, actor Garry Williams, and his assistant, Kim Parkhill, changed characters throughout the night, going from Bob Marley to Janice Joplin to a performer from Village People to Bruce Springsteen. Over all, the album recipients exceeded my expectations in their engagement and thrill for the albums they acquired.

After Steve passed away, I had kept these records in cardboard boxes, neither playing nor looking at them. 18 years later, I orchestrated this celebration to activate the albums, dispersing them and turning the weight of this collection into lightness. This work is a tribute to Steve and his varied tastes in music, men, and identities.

The STEVE'S VINYL(2013) book documents this event. Currently out of print, it was previously available at Printed Matter, New York.