Two Sides to Every Boxcar: An Exhibition and Discussion with buZ blurr at Babylon Falling

When: Saturday, September 20 2008, 6:00 pm - 9:00 pm

Where: Babylon Falling
San Francisco, CA
(415) 345-1017


What/Why:
Babylon Falling presents 'Two Sides to Every Boxcar' -An exhibition and discussion with buZ blurr. buZ is driving up from his outpost in Arkansas (Surrealville, Principality of buZ) and heading to San Francisco for an exhibition of his artwork as well as an informal discussion here at Babylon Falling. The exhibition will be comprised of a selection of photographs, cut stencils, collage work, and buZ's famous artistamp portraits. buZ will lead a talk and Q&A about his introduction to and experiences with freight train boxcar art, the development of his style, his contribution to the Mail Art movement, the place of both boxcar art and Mail Art in the larger culture and what he's up to nowadays. In addition to very small runs of homemade books we will also be selling a very limited (edition of 24) t-shirt designed by buZ blurr exclusively for Babylon Falling. The opening reception will take place on Saturday, September 20th 2008 from 6-9pm. There will be drinks and music as always. The event is wheelchair accessible. The exhibition will run through October 19th.

About Russell Butler aka Colossus of Roads aka buZ blurr

Recognized by Swindle magazine as a cultural Icon in 2006 and enjoying status as a cult figure among contemporary freight train graffiti artists, Russell Butler aka Colossus of Roads aka buZ blurr considers himself, "a Life/Artist, documenting a non-art life with various media, primarily photography." Working as a brakeman for the railroad, for thirty years buZ obsessively dispatched his distinctive moniker on the freight trains passing through the yards, quickly becoming one of the most prolific, and well respected boxcar artists of all time.

Since discovering the Mail Art network in 1972 buZ has been a regular, active participant and has become famous for his meticulous artistamp portraits which document the various personalities he has encountered over the years at Mail Art conventions, hobo gatherings, and at his home in Gurdon Arkansas, where the most diligent of fans make the pilgrimage to pay their respects. Though retired from the railroad buZ told Logan Hicks in 2004 that he is, "Still doing the boxcar icon dispatch, as well as spraying through stencils, and even gluing big collage composites onto the railcars; plus doing more correspondence and mail art, since I have retired. Currently enjoying embellishing large ink-jet phantasy collages with watercolours, paintstiks, charcoal, and crayolas."