The Western: An Epic in Art and Film

The Western: An Epic in Art and Film

Denver Art Museum Entrance

Love this Remington

A Great Synopsis of Westerns

Symbolism in Art

I love Westerns. I love the Denver Art Museum. I love the exhibition The Western: An Epic in Art and Film. Sorry for gushing but I think it’s wonderful!

I saw it in Denver a few weeks ago and I had a smile on my face as I walked through every room of this beautiful show–once again DAM has done a magnificent job with this installation, which creates a setting that makes you feel as though you just stepped into the wild, wild West.

Tune into KOTO.org at 6:30pm MST tonight to listen to my Travel Fun interview with Thomas Brent Smith, co-curator of the exhibition The Western: An Epic in Art and Film. Even if you’re not able to attend the show in Denver, which runs through September 10, you’ll learn much about Westerns and why we love films and artwork that depict the great American West. Thank you, Thomas, for such an eloquent and articulate conversation about the show and why Westerns conjure up such an array of emotions for so many.

Oh Yeah

When Films Imitate Art

The exhibition uses paintings, sculptures, illustrations, books, film clips, music, interviews and more to bring our favorite Western movies, characters and themes alive!

Central Panel of the Extraordinary Triptych-Like Circular Screens Showing The Good, the Bad and the Ugly

Andy Warhol’s Work Is Here Too

I so loved this exhibition that I want to go back, however, that’s not possible since I’m planted on the east coast in upstate New York for a while. All of a sudden I find myself pondering a plan to go to Montreal with my mom this fall. She’s a big fan of Westerns–her father was born in Laramie Wyoming, her nickname was Trigger and she told high school friends she was related to Roy Rogers. (Yes, she’s a character. Read My Mom:  A True Original to find out more.) So I’m beginning to cook up a trip to Montreal where the exhibition opens October 14 and runs through February 4, 2018.

Thomas, curator of the Petrie Institute of Western American Art at the Denver Art Museum, curated the show with Mary-Dailey Desmarais, curator of the Musée des Beaux-Arts de Montréal (also known as the Montreal Museum of Fine Arts, or MMFA), where it will be showcased.

Easy Rider

Yippee ki yay! Mom and I must hit the trail to see this terrific exhibition that pays homage to Westerns. That will also give me the opportunity to buy the catalogue, which I forgot to do in Denver. (I know you slaved away at this, Thomas.)

Thelma and Louise

I hope you, too, can hop on this wagon train of fun. Tuning into Travel Fun at KOTO.org tonight at 6:30pm MST is a good start.

Our Beloved Mt. Wilson of Telluride in The Hateful Eight

Cool Western Goods at the Exhibition

Hitting the Trail
During the interview with Thomas, I shared with him my three favorite locales in my area–the extended Four Corners region–where you can actually go to some of the famed spots of Western movie-making history. Goulding’s Lodge in Monument Valley is where it all began when Mr. Goulding persuaded John Ford to come and make a movie amid such stunning scenery. Click here to find out about these exciting destinations and other parts of the Southwest I have visited. I think reading my stories will inspire you to take a road trip to many of the best Western locales in America.

Monument Valley