Greeting the West 2017

Editor: So, here we have Mark Maggiori’s "Greeting the West," painted in 2017 using oil paints. It depicts five Indigenous men on horseback against an expansive landscape. I am really struck by the light, and the vastness of the sky… What do you see in this piece? Curator: This painting, made in 2017, reflects a continuing romanticization, and indeed commodification, of the "Wild West." Consider how it engages with historical depictions of Indigenous peoples, largely created *by* outsiders, from Catlin to Remington, but in a contemporary market and cultural context. Maggiori explicitly references the aesthetic of these historical works, but do you see any indication here that the *perspective* has shifted? Editor: Hmm… I think Maggiori might be trying to celebrate Indigenous people and culture. But isn't there a danger of perpetuating stereotypes when working within an established artistic genre? Curator: Exactly. How might the reception of this work differ when viewed in a museum versus, say, a private gallery catering to collectors of Western art? Think about how its display shapes its meaning. Editor: That's a great point; the context really matters. Putting it in a museum almost makes it feel…critical, whereas in a gallery, it may simply cater to certain expectations or fantasies about the American West. Curator: And consider, too, the role of the market. There’s a strong demand for imagery like this, which influences both artistic production *and* the narrative surrounding these images. It prompts us to ask whose stories are being told and *how* they are being told. Editor: I see what you mean. So, beyond the surface beauty, there's a complex interplay of history, representation, and the art market happening here. Curator: Precisely! It pushes us to think critically about how images of the West, and particularly of Indigenous people, continue to be constructed and consumed.