Me and my cousin Mickey, 1957, Moline, Illinois
Me in 4th grade, 1964
Now that I can look back at my upbringing in the 1950's and the steady diet of television programs I watched thanks to my Pop's obsession with cowboy shows (Gunsmoke, Bonanza, etc.) and the programming aimed at kids (Sky King, Rin Tin Tin, Quick Draw McGraw) I realize how we were propagandized into thinking that Manifest Destiny was correct. On top of that you layer in the racism towards Indigenous Peoples and the ethnic cleansing that went on across the whole North American continent and it becomes overwhelming.
So I decided to make this piece to deal with my own issues regarding my role in all of this.
I bought this child's toy from the era I would have been likely to own such a thing. I thought I would collage inside the wagon but this project when a different directions.
I used some of my rust paper to cover the inside of the wagon.
Lately I have been using a lot of resin in projects and I decided to go that direction here.
This metal horse was a part of my "horse" box in the basement and would go on to help carry the message to the viewer.
Thus we have Manifest Destiny, or Genocide Disguised As Popular Culture. It is 30" H X 7"W X 6"D. It consists of a Frontier Days Prairie Wagon Metal Litho Pull Toy, Plastic Cowboys and Indians, Beads, Metal Horse, Stirup, Bead, Resin and Rust Paper.
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