Memories of Dust by Alex Bex

Memories of Dust is a long-term project that explores traditional masculinity in the photographer’s home state of Texas, by examining the cowboy – a key figure shaped by popular culture – and its place in a fast-changing society. The cowboy is a longstanding symbol of North America, and is romanticised as a ‘real man,’ the strong silent type, lonesome, self-reliant and emotionally distant. The myth of the cowboy has played a significant part in shaping an ideal of Western manhood, but in a time of growing tensions between traditional values and modern viewpoints, it is necessary to challenge classic representations of masculinity. As Alex Bex travelled across Texas, spending time on ranches and participating in the daily life, he learned about the realities, routines and hardships of the cowboy, contrasting them with the conventions of the cultural myth. By including traditional visual codes and symbols of the Western narrative in his photographs, Bex explores the boundaries of this stereotype to encourage meaningful conversations about its changing role.