About This Project

Alex Bex

‘Memories of Dust’ is a long-term project documenting hegemonic masculinity in my home state of Texas. I examine the cowboy, a classic male icon shaped by visual media, and its impact on maleness today. In a post #MeToo era, it is necessary to deconstruct prevailing male representations, to generate meaningful discussions about masculinity and its evolving role in society. By researching a masculine stereotype, I aim to challenge an enduring idea of traditional masculinity and delve into its present-day complexities. The cowboy has long been a symbol of North America. The role model I grew up with, glamorized by popular culture, continues to represent the concept of the ‘real man’: the strong silent type, dominant and self-reliant, virile and emotionally distant. Not only has the myth of the cowboy directly helped construct a male ideal in the USA, but it also largely influenced how masculinity is expressed in the West. Journeying through the towns and rural areas of Texas, I meet friends and locals and immerse myself in their lives. With them, I revisit the cultural myth of the cowboy and study the current notion of traditional masculinity within the fast-changing landscape of Texan society. Through this series, I also reflect on myself as a man. By questioning an important male figure present throughout my life, I research how glorified male traits have cultivated my masculinity, in the quest to confront and redefine it.

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