Students might find themselves thinking of the apocalypse this semesters as the university hosts an art exhibit of an armored shell built for the end of the world
The 20-foot, extreme off-road camper trailer will be on campus through Nov. 23. Buster Graybill’s Renegade Modernist Utility Travel Trailer (R.M.U.T.T.) feature sculptures and paintings.
Graybill, whose from San Antonio-based artist, will be at the opening of “Abstract Utility” from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. today at the Fort Worth Contemporary Art building on Berry Street.
“I wanted to build an extreme, outdoor, survivalist trailer that challenges the notion of what art is,” Graybill said.
The name of his trailer was inspired by Marcel DuChamp. The artist created a porcelain urinal and signed it, R. Mutt, and changed the way people looked at art, Graybill said.
Graybill said he wants the R.M.U.T.T. to open up a window for people who don’t normally look at art to possibly become interested in art.
All of Graybill’s pieces in his exhibition use objects and materials that are often associated with outdoor leisure and hobbies, like fishing tools, car parts and lawn chairs.
“I like taking things that are really simple and finding value in it,” Graybill said. “I think part of my work shows that art is important and you can use overlooked objects to create it.”
Photo of one of Graybill’s paintings utilizing lawnchair straps. Photo courtesy: Buster Graybill
Graybill said he used vintage lawn chair straps from the 1960s and 1970s and re-weaved them onto panels to create paintings with them.
“I want to use material that is simple, that won’t scare people away if they don’t know about art,” Graybill said.
The art exhibition invites all interested in art and even those who are not.
“I want my exhibit to show people that there are many different kinds of art and anyone can find interest in it,” Graybill said.
