Tiny Peephole Cinemas Reopen in Brooklyn and San Francisco
- Steven Hansen
- Jul 3
- 2 min read
There’s no denying the fact that public art installations like street murals, sculpture, and interactive fountains can enliven our downtowns and neighborhoods and foster a sense of community pride. This is especially true when the works of local artists are used.
But there’s something especially magical about stumbling upon a piece of public art where you least expect it -- installations that “hide in plain sight” in street grates, alleyways, or subway stations. And discovering cleverly concealed art rewards our curiosity and attention to detail. These are art pieces that wink at us and seem to say, “if you know, you know.”
The most popular “hidden” art installations of recent years are the Peephole Cinemas – experimental art films viewed by sidewalk passersby who spy them through dime-sized peepholes made on the side of otherwise nondescript city buildings.
These “movies for an audience of one” were first launched in San Francisco in 2013 by visual artist and culture maker Laurie O’Brien. She eventually expanded peephole locations to Los Angeles and Brooklyn. Though hugely popular oddities, O’Brien was forced to close the projects down in 2020 due to Covid.
Peephole Cinemas Reopen
This June, O’Brien announced the long-awaited reopening of the Brooklyn and San Francisco Peephole Cinemas. Both locations (see addresses below) are now open for viewing 24/7 through November 2025. Each cinema will show a double bill titled ANALOG, featuring the handmade animated films of Tala Rae Schlossberg and Kelli Anderson. Both films invite viewers to rediscover the tactile beauty and experimental spirit of analog media discovered from a sidewalk stroll instead of a phone.
Featured Filmmakers
Tala Rae Schlossberg is an experimental artist whose work explores the intersections of animation, language, and material play. Her visually rich and conceptually layered films have been commissioned by The New York Times, MoMA, Patagonia, and more.
Kelli Anderson is an artist, designer, and animator renowned for creating analog tools that transform how we understand media. Her books double as scientific contraptions, including a pop-up planetarium, a pinhole camera, and a working record player.
Peephole Cinema Locations
Brooklyn: 97 Wilson Ave., Brooklyn, NY 11237 (Between Troutman and Starr Sts.)
Opening Reception: Friday, July 11, 2025, 6–9 PM. Free and open to the public.
San Francisco: 280 Orange Alley, San Francisco, CA 94110 (Between 25th and 26th Sts.)
Opening Reception: August 2025, date and time TBA. Check Peepholecinema.com for update.
Photos (from top): Header, placemania.sk; animation stills, peepholecinema.com.
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How very cool! I’ll check out the one on Orange Alley
Thomas Edison's films were originally designed for viewing one person at a time in a 'peephole' device called a Kinetoscope. Kinetoscope parlors were set up across the country.