Artist Steven Erdman has created a fully immersive and absurdist experience in the basement of his West Philadelphia home called the Yamatorium, writes Stephanie Farr for The Philadelphia Inquirer.
A faded green door with a painted eye leads visitors into another dimension filled with sight, sound, and yams.
The space is filled with yamophones, yamlights, a yamtron, a yamtrain, and so much more. There are even little yam people the artist gave names, such as Stan Yamly and Arlene Yam Head.
All of the items in the basement Erdman made using wood putty and foam – along with his imagination.
The Yamatorium also features many large cartoon character cutouts, puppets that represent the artist, Frank Lloyd Wright, and others, repurposed household items, slogans such as “What is the sound of one hand thinking?” and many other art pieces that are born of Erdman’s absurdist brain.
“Absurdism is definitely my baby, no question,” said Erdman. “I’m just like this outsider artist creating this slice of life that feels like it’s from another planet with a yam theme that has a Pee-Wee vibe to it.”
Erdman believes the Yamatorium is an extension of his personality and of the West Philly community.
Read more about the Yamatorium in The Philadelphia Inquirer.
