Charlotte Shields-Rossi | a&e editor

“Yinzilla” the monster terrorizing Pittsburgh won’t be found in any archives. But Matthew Buchholz imagines history a little differently.

Buchholz is the owner of Alternate Histories, an art store located in Pittsburgh’s Greenfield neighborhood. Combining his love for science fiction and history, he creates and sells artwork that reimagine Pittsburgh’s history with fantastical creatures like giant tentacle monsters in the Monongahela River, zombies and aliens.

“The style is very sort of influenced by the 1950s and 60’s science fiction and monster movies. So it’s very sort of pop art. A lot of it is very playful, a lot of it is very silly,” Buchholz said. “Historical elements have kind of creeped in.”

The right side of the store has a display of unique greeting cards that say things like “Killer zombies are really fine … but you’re a killer Valentine.” On the left side of the store is a wall of prints including a black and white photo of a giant ape climbing on the Cathedral of Learning and a poster displaying the fictional attack of Andrew Carnegie.

Each piece starts with an original image of reference material that is then digitally reworked by superimposing robots, giant apes, UFOs and monsters. Buchholz described his work as playful and silly, but also as a projection of our societal fears and concerns.

“Science fiction historically, it’s always, you know, kind of held a mirror up to what society looks like,” he said.

One popular design sold in Alternate Histories titled “Stop the Slop” looks like it’s been ripped straight out of a 1960s comic book.

“Stop the slop. Save the future, don’t use AI! A public service message from Alternate Histories and artists everywhere,” has been printed on a poster.

“Robots and AI and stuff coming in, you have this kind of fear of technology creeping back in that’s in some of my pieces,” he said. “So it’s always sort of a way for us to look at and examine things that both interest us and sort of scare us.”

Buchholz frequently targets current events.

With the influx of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officers around the country, Buchholz also began selling signs, t-shirts and stickers calling for the dissolution of the agency. The black and white print reads “Protect your neighbors … Abolish ICE” with an image of a godzilla-like creature in the middle.

“It’s hard to not look at the news and see children being kidnapped off the street and not become more politicized,” he said.

Although the art collection is now sold out, the revenue went to various immigration charities such as the National Immigration Law Center and the Woman’s Foundation of Minnesota’s Immigrant Rapid Response Fund.

Kelsey Bohnert, who sells her pottery at Alternate Histories, said she chose to sell her work at Bucholz’s shop because he cares about the community.

“[I wanted] to partner with him because of all the amazing things that he does around the neighborhood and the community at large,” she said.

On top of selling her work at Alternate Histories, Bohnert owns a pottery studio — Green Ware Studio. She focuses on “funky functional wear” including planters, mugs and espresso cups with botanical motifs.

She said that Greenfield does not have a busy main street, so when Alternate Histories opened up it gave her a chance to meet some of her neighbors.

“The maker community is a small community. I would say that so many small businesses and makers have a story of how Matt has sort of enabled or helped encourage or partnered with them,” she said. “He is definitely a staple around here.”

Addy Lord, another Greenfield resident, helps organize neighborhood events, Greenfield Family Pride Night. Alternate Histories helps sponsor it event.

Lord visits Alternate Histories a few times a year and has a collection of Buchholz’s artwork, often using the greeting cards during the holidays.

Charlotte Shields-Rossi can be reached at shieldsrossic@duq.edu.