In the lexicon of American cultural figures, the cowboy looms larger than life. Symbolic of adventure, freedom, hard work and self-reliance, the cowboy is central to the American identity and imagination. In spite of the image fostered by Hollywood of a tall, white, stoic, John Wayne or Marlboro Man-type, the archetype of the cowboy has been co-created by people from backgrounds as diverse as the American citizenry itself. Stories of legendary Vaqueros, hardworking Chinese immigrants, Native peoples to whom horsemanship was a birthright, individuals who shunned ideas about gendered work, and groups like the Compton Cowboys who have labored to make the Western lifestyle more accessible, are dotted throughout American history and carried forward by their descendants.

In recent years, as these histories have been more widely shared, the image of the American cowboy has been complicated, questioned, unraveled and remixed by contemporary artists, musicians, and creatives across genres. This renewed interest in the cowboy figure in popular culture has exposed the previously homogenized image to be just one of many origin stories for this beloved American character, and has brought to the surface a range of experiences that have shaped Western history and lore.

In this exhibition, 11 artists from around the country explore the image of the American cowboy and the Western landscape which this figure calls home. Works included span from figuration exploring personal and familial histories in the Southwest, High Plains, California and the Borderlands, to close study of the accoutrement of Western life; barbed wire, cactus, tumbleweeds, and tack for working animal companions. Inspired by the unofficial cowboy theme song “Home on the Range,” this exhibition offered invited artists the opportunity to include works that felt resonant to their experiences and interpretations of the theme, without limits on the conceptual or material relationship: “where seldom is heard, a discouragin' word.” Not a survey, but a celebration of possibilities, The Range took shape through examinations of the artists’ own relationship to this signature cultural icon of Americana, and presents expansive manifestations which offer an opportunity to see ourselves reflected and represented.

The Range is co-curated by Ari Myers (The Valley, Taos, NM). Participating artists include: Karla García, Andrea Joyce Heimer, Oscar yi Hou, Grace Kennison, Michael Lombardo, Dave Muller, Adrian Norvid, Caleb Hahne Quintana, Kenneth Tam, Janet Werner and Gray Wielebinski.