A Godzilla-like monster stomps through vintage photographs, maps, books and greeting cards, terrorizing Pittsburgh’s skyline and bridges.
They call him Yinzilla.
If you haven’t seen Yinzilla, allow me to introduce you — it’s a creation of artist and Greenfield resident Matthew Buchholz.
Buchholz, 49, came to Pittsburgh by way of New York University in 2008. An art school graduate, he started working at Wild Card, a Lawrenceville gift shop, where he stumbled upon a creative idea: Photoshop a monster image in an old city map. He wanted the monster to appear as if it was always there.
Besides Yinzilla, Buchholz created images of UFOs hovering over familiar landmarks, dinosaurs lurking behind old buildings and zombies that, at first glance, look as if they’ve always been part of the picture.
The reception was monstrous.
He quickly branched out, making greeting cards, books, calendars, T-shirts and pins. He started a company called Alternate Histories, working out of his home. Wild Card continued to sell his wares, and Independent Brewing Co. in Squirrel Hill put some on display.
As demand grew, Buchholz in 2022 moved his artwork into a studio space on Greenfield Avenue.
He’s there working almost daily, and on Fridays and Saturdays he sells his novelties from the single-story studio with two large windows. The hours are noon to 5 p.m.
What makes his items fun and popular? There’s something enticing about the idea that something enormous could be lurking just beyond what we normally see.
His company has hosted block parties, pop-up markets, live music and artist collaborations.
“People love monsters,” Buchholz said. “Kids love dinosaurs. Something bigger than Mom or Dad. Bigger than themselves. A lot of us have that childlike wonder about those things — the surprise, looking at something and noticing a little detail, zooming in and seeing something there.
“I like my work to be fun first and foremost.”
Buchholz’s love of monsters began with his father, who introduced him to old science fiction movies like “Earth vs. the Flying Saucers,” the original “Godzilla” and Ray Harryhausen special-effects films.
“I’ve carried that affection for cheesy, larger-than-life monster movies with me ever since,” he told me.
There’s plenty of history in Pittsburgh, but Alternate Histories offers a view where the familiar can suddenly become strange.
His artwork typically begins with research, digging through old images for something that sparks an idea. He looks for historic scenes with empty spaces or details that seem to call for the addition of a monster.
“I personally love the old historic photos,” Buchholz said. “I stay away from areas that could create a litigious reaction: sports arenas and things.”
Yinzilla, though, remains the unofficial mascot.
The giant monster has been around the longest and has become something of a celebrity. There’s a children’s book “Where’s Yinzilla?” and a Yinzilla Day. There has even been Yinzilla IPA beer, created with East End Brewing.
Buchholz expanded his collection beyond Pittsburgh, though the Steel City comprises the bulk of his work.
“I think Pittsburgh is great,” he said. “When I moved here, it was very open and accessible to me. There is a spirit of openness to weird ideas, and I hope we can keep that. As housing gets more expensive, I hope we can hold onto things that keep Pittsburgh great.”
So what’s next for Buchholz and Alternate Histories?
For Halloween, Alternate Histories transforms its store into a vintage 1980s video store, complete with old VHS tapes and DVDs for sale.
And the holiday shopping season is right around the corner.
So, perhaps, is Yinzilla.