Briscoe Western Art Museum: Mark Maggiori
Earlier this summer, after some reflection on the diversity in Western art, Mark Maggiori started a painting showing two Black cowboys on horseback. Before it was completed, he began contemplating where the piece might end up and his thoughts immediately went to Texas.
“I knew I wanted it in a museum, because there wasn’t a lot of history there as far as I could tell. Joe Beeler had done some Black cowboys, but they were never on horseback and never working. I felt strongly about the piece because it showed Black working cowboys,” he says. “My first call was to the Briscoe Western Art Museum because it’s based in Texas, which has a strong cowboy history. Texas also had a lot of slaves, which means a lot of its history relates to Black people.”
The museum was immediately interested in the piece, so Maggiori donated the work, called Once Upon a Time, to the permanent collection.
“History tells us that cowboys were Black, Native American, Hispanic and even Chinese, but Western art from that period does not reflect that. Contemporary artists like Mark Maggiori have the opportunity to tell that authentic story and we’re proud to showcase the accurate history here at the Briscoe,” says Michael Duchemin, president and CEO at the museum. “As we celebrate our seventh anniversary, we continue to be committed to sharing the authentic stories of the West through outstanding exhibits, community events and programs that engage diverse audiences of all ages and cultures and promote lifelong learning.”
The museum unveiled the work during a daylong celebration on October 24, which included a presentation by the Bexar County Buffalo Soldiers Association, as well as the installation of the work and a discussion with Larry Callies, curator of the Black Cowboy Museum in Rosenberg, Texas.
For more information, visit the museum’s website at www.briscoemuseum.org.
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