"The cowboy has long been a symbol of North America. The role model I grew up with, glamourized by popular culture, continues to represent the concept of the ‘real man’."
Artist: Alex Bex
Project: Memories of Dust
"In a post #MeToo era, it is necessary to deconstruct prevailing male representations, to generate meaningful discussions about the evolving role of masculinity. By researching a male stereotype, I aim to challenge an enduring idea of masculinity and delve into its present-day complexities.
The cowboy has long been a symbol of North America. The role model I grew up with, glamourized by popular culture, continues to represent the concept of the ‘real man’: the strong silent type, dominant and self-reliant, virile and emotionally distant. Not only has the myth of the cowboy directly helped construct a male ideal in the USA, but it also largely influenced how masculinity is expressed in Europe."
"Journeying through Texas, I meet friends and locals and redefine with them the cultural myth of the cowboy within the fast-changing landscape of Texan society.
By questioning an important male figure present throughout my life, I research how romanticized male traits have cultivated my masculinity, in the quest to challenge and redefine it."
© Alex Bex
Editor : Ecaterina Rusu