I am interested in the marks our culture leaves in landscape, but also what intrigues me is the constructed image of the individual who makes his mark on the land. I have chosen to use the masculine depiction of man, because I am interested in how Manifest Destiny, an imperialist nineteenth century white male invention, is still playing a defining role in our American culture’s representation of the ideal individual who lives within the landscape. This person has been for better part of my life, the Marlboro Man. Michael S. Kimmel and Amy Aronson did a fantastic analysis of symbolism in the advent of the Marlboro Man in their book Men and Masculinities.

The Marlboro Man symbolizes (the image of) the American Frontiersman, the old fashioned Wild West Cowboy. This form of masculinity evokes images of man against nature, of man as the tamer and dominator of nature and peoples. As he lives in a presocietal world without rules, he makes his own rules. He exists in “uncivilized” territory where his object is to stake out a piece of the world. This trailblazing involves destroying and subduing indigenous peoples, nature and animals. The American Frontiersman is therefore wild, free and unrestrained by society, yet at the same time he is transcendent of nature in that he is a civilizer. He is the tamer and controller of nature.

What if I were to ask the Marlboro Man to recognize the mark he leaves in the landscape? Could I force him to become aware of his presence in the land? Could the process of recognition also function as an act of penitence? These were the questions I set out to answer in this body of work.

The performance was recorded and documented. I invite you to listen and observe. 

The exhibition of this work includes the photo documentation of the performance and the sculptural object used by the "Marlboro Man".