Trashman on the cover of Artvoice

Read Ed Cardoni's article on Spain in this week's Artvoice at www.Artvoice.com.

First ever retrospective on Buffalo-born underground comix legend Spain Rodriguez at the Burchfield Penney Art Center

Manuel “Spain” Rodriguez (born in Buffalo, March 2, 1940) grew up on Humboldt Parkway on the city’s East Side, but found fame as an artist first in New York City, drawing for the seminal underground newspaper the East Village Other, in a scene where his peers included such legendary comic book artists as Kim Deitch, Trina Robbins, and Art Spiegelman. Later he migrated to San Francisco and the Zap Comix stable, which included R. Crumb and S. Clay Wilson, among others. From those beginnings, the career of Spain Rodriguez—pioneering illustrator, political activist, member of Buffalo’s outlaw motorcycle gang the Road Vultures—blossomed in a dozen different directions, influencing the generations of comic book artists who followed.

This Friday, September 14, the Burchfield Penney Art Center opens the first retrospective exhibit of Spain’s career with a reception (5:30-7:30pm). On Saturday, September 14, Spain will give an artist’s talk, and there will be a screening of the film Barbie Nation: An Unauthorized Tour by Spain’s wife, the journalist Susan Stern (2-4pm).

The exhibit continues through January 20, 2013.