I'M NOT A COWBOY

I’m not a cowboy is a solo exhibition by Mark Anthony Martinez, where the artist questions the mythos of the west. A multimedia exhibition “I’m not a cowboy” draws a metaphorical line in the sand, wherein Martinez invites his audience to “shoot” a cowboy.

The artist himself, named after a character from the Television show The Rifleman (ABC 1958-1963) – Martinez, expresses the cognitive dissonance of someone who is ostensibly “MEXICAN” but named after an unambiguously white protagonist.

Featuring original footage (filmed earlier this year), alongside new text works and even incorporating the usage of a classic NES (Nintendo Entertainment System) Zapper – the exhibition asks the audience to consider their own role in manufacturing and reifying western exceptionalism.