08 Apr Western Cowboy: Reloaded

Posted at 14:02h in Exhibitions - Past by Desa Beslic

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WESTERN COWBOY: RELOADED

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CURATED BY SAMANTHA JOHNSTON

JUAN FUENTES, CONSTANCE JAEGGI, AMANDA LOPEZ, JACK LUDLAM, ROB HAMMER, IAN WARREN

A contemporary reexamination of the cowboy, Western Cowboy: Reloaded brings together six Colorado photographers to look beyond myth and nostalgia, revealing the layered histories, cultures, and lived realities that continue to shape the American West.

May 8 – June 20, 2026

COLORADO PHOTOGRAPHIC ARTS CENTER

1200 LINCOLN STREET, SUITE 111, DENVER, CO 80203

Art exhibit viewing times: Tues. – Fri. (11 am – 5 pm); Sat. (noon – 4 pm)

OPENING RECEPTION & SPECIAL PROGRAMMING:
MAY 8, 9, 16, AND 27, 2026

ALL EVENTS FREE AND OPEN TO THE PUBLIC

Opening Reception:
Join us on Friday, May 8th between 5 – 8 pm at CPAC. Opening reception with the artists, community, and remarks from Samantha Johnston, CPAC Executive Director and Curator, and Sara Clow of Mad Agriculture. The evening will include beer and small bites, creating space to gather, connect, and step into the work together.

In-Person Artist Panel Discussion:
On Saturday, May 9th at 1:00 pm, hear from exhibition artists Jack Ludlam, Rob Hammer, and Ian Warren. Facilitated by Jonnah Perkins, Director of Media at Mad Agriculture. The Land Library will also be on site with a curated selection of historic Western texts.

To listen to an audio recording of the panel discussion press play below.

Virtual Conversation on Escaramuza, the Poetics of Home:
On Saturday, May 16th at 12:00 pm (MDT), Samantha Johnston, CPAC Executive Director and Curator, will lead a conversation over Zoom with exhibition artist Constance Jaeggi and Angelina Sáenz, an award-winning educator, poet and writing project fellow at UCLA. This event is free, but registration is required.

In-Person Artist Panel Discussion:
On Wednesday, May 27th at 5:30 pm, Samantha Johnston, CPAC Executive Director and Curator, will lead a panel discussion in the gallery with exhibition artists Constance Jaeggi, Amanda Lopez, and Juan Fuentes.

To listen to an audio recording of the panel discussion press play below.

CURATOR’S STATEMENT

Western Cowboy: Reloaded brings together the work of six Colorado-based photographers Juan Fuentes, Constance Jaeggi, Amanda Lopez, Jack Ludlam, Rob Hammer, and Ian Warren to reconsider one of the most enduring figures in American culture: the cowboy. Long celebrated as a symbol of independence and frontier mythology, the cowboy also reflects a complex history shaped by Indigenous presence, Hispanic traditions, and the realities of ranch and rodeo life. This exhibition looks beyond the singular icon of the cowboy to reveal the layered realities of the region and the communities who have shaped it.

Each artist offers a distinct visual entry point: intimate portraits of riders and wranglers, quiet studies of materials and landscape, stark silhouettes, cultural traditions, and the raw physicality of rodeo culture. Moving past nostalgia, these artists invite viewers to reconsider whose stories define the West, and how those stories continue to unfold.

Organized in conjunction with Colorado’s 150th anniversary of statehood and the 250th anniversary of the U.S. Declaration of Independence, the exhibition offers an opportunity to reflect on the histories and cultural influences that continue to inform the mythology of the American West.

— Samantha Johnston, CPAC Executive Director & Curator