archive the west ∙
archive the west ∙
jurors statement here
The Western United States has become a long-standing art trope. Images of Monument Valley and other iconic landmarks have saturated the art-sphere, but these often seem like one-offs or fetishization devoid of a necessary context. Absent a larger series or archive, these depictions often rely on shallow understandings of the region’s cultural history. For this call, we want to see depictions of the American West that draw upon personal or collective archives. Use them as inspiration or building blocks in the work itself. Dig into dusty prints or negatives that speak to the wild beauty, austere landscape, and diverse happenings of the American West, or provide original pieces from a current project that incorporates or addresses the archives’ informing role.
Artists included are:
Vanessa Jo Bahr, Derrick Burbul, Susan M. Clark, Kristie Cornell, Benjamin Davis, Chuck Davis, Patty deGrandpre, Jane Waggoner Deschner, Vincent DeZutti, Aaron Drummer, Cori Erin, Riley Goodman, Conner Gordon, Shirin Jafarizadeh, Whitney Johnson-Lessard, Joseph Matty, Ellie Nguyen, Krystof Novotny, Dan Slabonik, Jeff Smudde, Susan Solomon, Jack G. Taylor, Vahid Valikhani, Eric Zuccola
Riley Goodman, "The Wickedest Town in the West", Archival Pigment Print of Multimedia Work, 2020
Kristie Cornell, "Natural Habitat", photography, 2025
Jack G. Taylor, "Four and Up", Oil and acrylic on canvas, 2022
Derrick Burbul, "Still Here", photography, 2022
Benjamin Davis, "Untitled (US/Mexico Border #1)", Archival inkjet print, 2024
Whitney Johnson-Lessard, "Deposits (III)", glacial till and gum arabic on watercolor paper, 2025
Shirin Jafarizadeh, "The Crow", Screen Print, 2025
Conner Gordon, "8x25 44°16'40.37" N 124°6'46.22" W (Veil)", inkjet print on metallic paper, 2024
Vincent DeZutti, "Photo Op", Digital Collage, 2019
Susan M. Clark, "Voyage to the Red River 1821", screen printed, hand painted silk sewn on repurposed damask tablecloth with appliqué, 2023
Joseph Matty, "Burial Pit for Plague Victims, Armadillo", Wet Collodion Tintype on Risograph Mat, 2023
Dan Slabonik, "Sleeping dog - Taos, NM", Silver gelatin print, 2022
Susan Solomon, "Skycow", gouache and ink, 2020
Cori Erin, "NM.0424", digital photography, 2024
Whitney Johnson-Lessard, "Deposits (VII)", glacial till and gum arabic on watercolor paper, 2025
Chuck Davis, "Bandolier National Monument NM 2016", photograph, 2016
Eric Zuccola, "The Things We Carry", Physical collage digitally scanned and sized, 2025
Conner Gordon, "8x25 44°19'22.83" N 124°6'22.52" W (Collapse)", inkjet print on metallic paper, 2024
Ellie Nguyen, "Somewhere Between Sacramento and Beyond", film photo, 2024
Patty deGrandpre, "Kill Floor Smoking Area", block printing ink, gouache, digital inkjet, Awagami Bamboo Japanese paper, 2022
Dan Slabonik, "Footprints - White Sands, NM", Silver gelatin print, 2013
Krystof Novotny, "The Two Christophers", oil on canvas, 2020
Cori Erin, "Dsfgrd.OP.OT", digital photography, 2025
Vahid Valikhani, "Ordinary Anomalies", Digital Photography, 2024
Vincent DeZutti, "View from Here", Digital Collage, 2019
Jeff Smudde, "White Noise (Globe, AZ)", Archival inkjet print, 2021
Aaron Drummer, "Modern Montana Man", Archival Inkjet Print, 2023
Vanessa Jo Bahr, "I Know You Ryder", Etching, Aquatint, Blind Embossing, 2023
Whitney Johnson-Lessard, "Deposits (V)", glacial till and gum arabic on watercolor paper, 2025
Jane Waggoner Deschner, "from the domino mask series (horses&men)", hand-stitched movie promo photos, family snapshots, 2024