Nancy Davidson: Let 'Er Buck

Nancy Davidson's Let 'Er Buck allowed visitors to experience the sights, sounds, smells, and spectacle of the rodeo in an exhibition devoted to an icon of American culture: the cowgirl.

Davidson brought feminist and popular culture themes to the forefront through colorful sculptures, photographs, videos and sound. At the heart of the exhibition was a giant inflatable sculpture, Dustup, a suggestive and comically absurd "super-sized" tribute to the women of the Old West and critique of our culture's fascination with everything big. Her larger-than-life cowgirl evoked monumental roadside attractions, carnivals, and tall tales. 

Growing up in the 1950s, Davidson was inspired by the "can-do" spirit of the cowgirls she saw in Hollywood movies and musicals. Characters such as Doris Day's Calamity Jane, Betty Hutton's Annie Oakley, and the gun-slinging Joan Crawford in Johnny Guitar stood in stark contrast to the conventional stay-at-home wife. They were individuals, able to transgress what was deemed acceptable for women. Rowdy and unruly, they were more than equal to men, yet sexy and glamorous, no matter the situation.