Photo courtesy of website.
NEW WEBSITE
DEDICATED TO ALFREDO BUSTINZA
The Art of Brownsville - continues to welcome information on painter Alfredo Bustinza..... recently a comment submitted :
http://brownsvilleart.blogspot.com/2005/08/art-behind-man.html
Anonymous said....
Alfredo (Fred) Bustinza (1957 – 2005)
Hidden away for some time 50 plus works by the late Alfredo (Fred) Bustinza are now available to the art world.
For additional information please contact me at the email listed.
Website: http://fredbustinza.webs.com/
CONTACT: B McKANE
Email: art.of.fred.bustinza@gmail.com
See web site for more of the available works ..
27 comments:
Wow! this artwork reminds me of Cande's Aguilar and Oscar Alvarez stuff.
" MY ONE AND ONLY MASTER... CEZANNE WAS LIKE THE FATHER OF US ALL."
X. Pablo Picasso.
is that good or bad?
This is a nice tribute to Bert. Wish you were still here dude; I miss your raw personality....cgg
Mediocre !!!
isn't all art of today like that!?
Its more like massed produced.
Some galleries request exclusive rigths to sell an artist;s / painter's artwork. The exclusive arrangement migth be limited to a small geographic region or it could be as broad as world rigths. It could be limited to a specific body or series of work, or encompass all your artwork. It could be limited to only the work that is created during the duration of an artist / gallery contract.
I never had the chance to meet or know Fred Bustinza, but to those who knew him I would appreciate your thoughts, notes, accounts of or insights into his life, his art, or impressions he made on those in the art world and the friends around him.
POSTED IN 2009 IN THE AOB
Part I
Alfredo Bustinza a friend and a good painter by Carlos G. Gómez
One of the things that is not being said and many times forgotten is that there was very little support for him and his work in the valley and Brownsville. I first met him in the late 80’s in a show we were both in called Cara on Cara held at the Mexican Cultural Institute. He was surprised that I was from Brownsville and wondered who I was. We talked over a beer together with Cesar Martinez, Benito Huerta, Pedro Rodriquez and other good painters and since that time we kept in touch.
He was a loyal patron of art and attended almost all university shows and whatever else was around in the area. We often talked about not having any support except from people like Romeo Montalvo and later on Conrad Bodden. Both of these men were very sincere about appreciating what Fred was fighting for and kept an eye on him. On many occasions we talked while drinking a beer which he liked very much and that is when he would open up and bluntly put it as it was and often he would reminisce of his Rutgers days and his friends in the East Coast whom he spoke of very highly. He was a loyal friend who was misunderstood and had great passion for life, art, family and did not hesitate to speak his mind which was one of the qualities that I really liked about him. Frankly he was the only person who knew what I was trying to accomplish as an artist and on his frequent visits to my home would also say, “you’re getting better” which was his way of saying; “I am keeping my eye on you”.
He was competitive but did not show it as he always desired to project a relaxed easy demeanor. I showed with him on several occasions and he would always say, “semos chingones….we kick ass”. See he had a lot of pride and was true, a characteristic many younger artists today don’t understand. This “truth” is vital and is what separates the art hierarchy into levels. Sure there were some who bad mouth him and always tried to denigrate him, but his art always spoke for him and so he quiet them. Of course he was not perfect, who is? Like most he had his faults, but note that most were related to his lack of support in the area. “No me dan chansa” he would say after a day or so of trying to get a show. How sad the whole thing. Here is a guy who is extremely committed to his work and who actually has good work and the only one man show he ever had in Brownsville was the one I gave him when I was gallery director at then TSC. I doubt that he would have liked the current art scene in the valley especially Brownsville. He did participate in group shows but that was not what he existed for. He did so because that was what he was about shearing his work. He could pick the “so-so’s” and as he would say “es puro pedo ese vato, no tiene nada”….that is how he spoke, he was who he was! How nuts is this, in the 20 years that I knew him he had only one, one man show in Brownsville! Like him or not he was a friend, and like him or not he was a good painter.
Part II
I kind of miss him and his 2am runs to my house to borrow a gallon of gesso, which on occasions would end up at his house and a hot cup of coffee and sweet bread from Senora Bustinza…what a sweet lady. This I think is where he got his balance and strength from his mom and father, but mostly his mom. She was the only one who dare call me Charlie, so when around her I was Charlie. Those of you who have been lucky to have met her know what I am writing about.
Much has been said about his work and rightfully so, but what I remember the most was the man. Alfredo Bustinza, Fred to some, Bert to others and those who knew him Bustinza, or as I like to call him; “pinche” Bustinza. The last time I saw him was when he went to the university and was all fired up, he was in love and glowing. A black cowboy hat, black jeans and boots, a bandana around his neck and a girl friend. He dropped by to say hello and see what my painting students were doing, but I really think he was there to say; “hey Charlie everything is alright, I am happy and doing fine”. He sure was, I don’t think that I had ever seen him so happy. The guy had just come back from the east coast and as he would say; “the real art world”…see this is the way I remember him…happy….ay te wacho Bert have a cold one ready for me…..gómez
He drank a lot every morning, while accion - painting in his garage.
So that is who he was. Big deal. He produced.
Mr. Bustinza should have a well- deserved retrospective of all of his amazing, innovative and actual - avant - garde Art at the B.M.F.A !!!
we all should, why is he so special?
He didn't follow, He Lead... look at The rest of the Rancho Grande Valley !!!
No he followed and lived in the past of b/w 1950 and 1990. His work is very dated and to a certain point that was one of his weakeness. He like so many spent a few years in the east coast and could not break away from that. It is very easy to get caught up in the hype which he did. He desperatly wanted to be part of that often telling people that he was a NY artist who just happen to have his studio in Brownsville which of course wasn't true. On the plus side he did stay loyal to his convictions and art was his escape from his unstabelness. No he did not lead, he dwell.
How do you know all of this so well ??
those who knew him, he let go and he talked to
Cleary Buztinsa was a sophisticated and informed artist his style reminds ofNeoExpressionism.Because of his age I would say he is of the same generation as Basquit an early Julian Shnabell two exponents of of Neo Expressionism. Unfortunatly antiintellectual local artist will only see his work superficially and find in Buztinsa justification for their haphazzard and clumsy attempts.
Oh, That's the secret... keep guessing !!!
Many artists/ painters will rather have open - heart surgery than go to their own exhibition opening, or to any opening for that matter, and many guests feel the same way. Most openings are lethal: cold, awkward, and self - consious. But they don't have to be that way. You worked hard for that show. Your opening should be your party, your celebration, and youir own holiday. Otherwise, why bother ?
not true
Oh, That's the secret... keep guessing in bed !!!
I love beer as he would say....you get to finih the story
To all of you who might be interested in a show / sale of Fred’s art work I am in the early stages of exploring the possibilities of a show in Brownsville TX if there is sufficient interest. Your postings here or at my website www.fredbustinza.webs.com would be appreciated it will also give me an idea of the support level for such a showing. Thanks for your interest and post. Bill McKane
To all of you who might be interested in a show / sale of Fred’s art work I am in the early stages of exploring the possibilities of a show in Brownsville TX if there is sufficient interest. Your postings here or at my website www.fredbustinza.webs.com would be appreciated it will also give me an idea of the support level for such a showing. Thanks for your interest and post. Bill McKane
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