The Modern Cowboy

Austin is a city in perpetual transformation. The recent surge of tech-industry growth, rising cost of living, and rapid gentrification have prompted many longtime residents to yearn to return to “old Austin,” a romanticized era of affordability, quirkiness, and community. This idealized past is elusive, tinted with nostalgia, as Austin’s identity has shifted and evolved over centuries.

The mythology of the cowboy, a symbol of fierce independence, hard labor, and outlaw machismo, has long been intertwined with the image of the American West. As Austin continues to evolve, the cowboy figure offers a compelling lens through which to examine the city’s complex and ever-changing identity. The Modern Cowboy exhibition features the work of eleven artists who explore the enduring symbol of the cowboy, reimagining this iconic figure for the 21st century. By recontextualizing the cowboy myth, these artists offer fresh perspectives on Austin’s past, present, and future.

The exhibition brings together a diverse range of practices—from painting and photography to embroidery and found objects—to challenge conventional mass-media portrayals of the cowboy. While Western films typically depict the cowboy as a rugged lone ranger, a white knight, and dangerous, the reality is far more complex. The cowboy figure encompasses a multitude of historical identities and cultural forms, such as the Mexican vaquero, the Black cowboy, the queer icon, and at times, the pop-culture costume.

Like the figure of the cowboy, Austin’s identity is unfixed and defies convention. The Modern Cowboy invites viewers to reconsider established regional narratives and envision a future Austin that is inclusive, equitable, and reflective of its diverse histories and communities.

This exhibition is organized by Center Space Project (CSP), an undergraduate student-run arts collective that works collaboratively with the Visual Arts Center (VAC) to provide students with opportunities to participate in an interdisciplinary artistic community. Exhibitions are selected through a call for proposals each spring open to all undergraduate and graduate students at UT Austin, and selections are made by the CSP student committee in collaboration with VAC staff.

Presenting support for The Modern Cowboy is provided by the Jedel Family Foundation.