Few stories I’ve written have had a longer shelf life than the one I published last fall about Buzz Spector, the Jewish conceptual artist who’s been altering books—and how we view them—for more than 40 years. That story, centered on his exhibition at Bruno David Gallery, still gets clicks months later. My takeaway? People in St. Louis are drawn to Buzz, his process, and the ideas his work raises about memory, meaning and the beauty of what’s missing.
So here’s the news: Buzz Spector is back in St. Louis for a new series of public events hosted by Craft Alliance, where he’s been named the organization’s first-ever Visiting Artist. But before you think this is just another art show opening, let me pause and explain what Buzz actually does.
Spector doesn’t paint or sculpt in the traditional sense. His medium is the book. But he doesn’t just read them—he deconstructs them. He tears pages. He cuts. He removes layers in a way that feels almost surgical. What’s left isn’t random—it’s intentional. It’s about revealing meaning by showing what’s gone.
“Books are metaphors for memory,” Buzz told me last time we spoke. “Books with missing portions are metaphors for forgetting.”
His work isn’t about destruction. It’s about excavation. Imagine a novel where only certain words remain. Or a reference book where whole chapters are ghosted out. You’re left with fragments—and that’s the point. Like memory itself, it’s what remains that matters.
See Buzz in action at Craft Alliance
If that sounds interesting, you can actually see him do it in real time. On March 27, Craft Alliance is hosting a hands-on demo and workshop where Buzz will walk participants through his process. It’s one thing to see the finished work—it’s another to watch it unfold. On March 28, there’s a luncheon and artist’s talk for those who want to hear him reflect on his decades of work and the ideas that fuel it.
Both events are ticketed fundraisers, and here’s a bonus: attendees will also have the chance to enter a raffle for an original Buzz Spector artwork.
Proceeds support Craft Alliance’s mission to make art experiences more accessible to the St. Louis community.
Cut, fold, press—and think
Then comes the exhibition itself: “Cut/Fold/Press.” Buzz juried the show, which features 41 artists exploring paper as more than just a surface. This is paper as structure. Paper as story. The exhibit opened to the public last week, but on March 29, Buzz will be back to lead a free guided tour of the exhibit, sharing what drew him to these artists and how their work fits into a bigger conversation about what print and paper can be.
And look, I know “print and paper” doesn’t sound flashy. But that’s kind of the point. Buzz’s whole career has been about taking something ordinary—something we all take for granted—and showing us what happens when we look a little closer. When we cut. When we fold. When we press.
To learn more or RSVP, head to craftalliance.org/events.
