Two Degrees of Separation is a conceptual mapping project by next question, a collaborative artist group including Emily Blair, Michelle Illuminato and Phuong Nguyen. Two Degrees of Separation examines the diverse ways in which women and girls perceive and navigate urban space. Building on an earlier project that focused on the South Side neighborhood of Pittsburgh, next question added material collected throughout Buffalo but in particular from South Buffalo. Through the large-scale interactive installation at CEPA Gallery, gallery visitors can explore the physical, cultural and emotional geography of the two neighborhoods in a variety of ways. They can take a journey down the main streets of the neighborhoods, which are represented by large-scale lightbox installations. They can learn about places that have been important (even if in a very everyday way) in womenís lives and indicate their own personal landmarks on a large-scale map of Buffalo. They can listen to audio collected from interviews with women in both cities and add their own observations on urban space to the installation. They can try on the hula-proximeters (dresses made with hula hoops that serve to measure and maintain personal space) and they can even participate in a hula hoop contest! The installation presents the words and work of many different women and girls. Several groups of girls worked on the project, creating their own artwork based on the subject of women and space. In Pittsburgh, high school girls studying photography examined the South Side block by block, collecting objects and taking pictures of details that they found. In Buffalo, next question worked with the Urban Girls, middle school and high school poets. Choosing to focus on the East and West Side, the Urban Girls conducted interviews with other girls at several high schools as well as talking to people on the street. From this material they generated both images and poetry which can be viewed in the installation. On opening night, the Urban Girls presented their poetry, including a group poem composed of conflicting components which was performed simultaneously, a reflection on the hybrid and shifting character of city neighborhoods.