The Artists Paddling 350 Miles Up the Erie Canal
As part of “Mule’s Passage,” artists Z Behl and Kim Moloney are paddling six hours a day and camping for five weeks.
Waterford, New York experienced a unique event in early August, as a pair of artists, Z Behl and Kim Moloney, also known as BALONEY STEEL, embarked on an ambitious journey. They set off to paddle 350 miles, or approximately 563 kilometers, up the Erie Canal, aiming to reach Buffalo. The duo, who call their project "Mule’s Passage," began by boarding their canoe at the Eastern Gate corridor, the inaugural lock that elevates vessels from the Hudson and Mohawk Rivers into the canal system.
Before setting sail, the duo was joined by enthusiastic supporters and a group of singers who performed at the dock, honoring the historical canal folk tunes. Behl and Moloney, with their canoe resembling a mule to symbolize the invisible labor that powered the early towpath canal, kicked off their journey against the current under a scorching summer sun.
The pair will be paddling for six hours daily, camping for five weeks, as they traverse each county along the Erie Canal, which also encompasses six territories of the Haudenosaunee Confederacy.
Throughout their expedition, the artists aim to shed light on the Erie Canal's role in both the nation's industrial development and Indigenous displacement. The project, supported by the Erie Canal Museum Artist-in-Residence program and the New York State Canal Corporation, highlights the canal's impact on ecological dynamics, history, and folklore. Additional sponsors include Bixpy, who provided the electric outboard solar-charging motor, and Camp Chow, which donated dehydrated meals.
The "Mule’s Passage" initiative is set to conclude on September 5 when Behl and Moloney are expected to arrive in Buffalo after covering each county along the waterway. The project will also see an exhibition at the Everson Museum of Art in Syracuse in spring 2027, showcasing the artists' documentation of their journey.
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