Nancy Davidson, Dustup

Davidson, Nancy
Dustup, 2012
Vinyl coated nylon, rope, leather, blowers, sawdust, sandbags
252 x 192 x 192 inches
640.08 x 487.68 x 487.68 cm

Art & Culture

Nancy Davidson, Dustup

Sculptures breathe new life into rodeo women...

The rodeo rider is an iconic American image, a death-defying stuntman risking life and limb to cling to a bucking bronco for longer than the next poor guy. But what about the women who participate in this crazy sport?

Nancy Davidson set out to examine these brave ladies in the wider context of gender issues and American icons and, with the help of a Creative Capital Grant, got to work on her latest offering featuring the principal sculpture Dustup. The giant inflatable, made from intentionally overblown vinyl-nylon, depicts an unpredictable movement of cowgirl-booted legs suspended over a pile of sawdust. Davidson’s playful yet grandiose sculpture also pokes fun at the American “super-size” culture.

The exhibition at New York’s Betty Cunningham Gallery, Davidson’s first solo show there, features two more fun inflatable pieces, RowdyAnn and the earlier Carnivaleyes, plus a video looking at rodeo riders entitled All Stories Are True. Yee-ha.

Nancy Davidson, Dustup

Installation view

Nancy Davidson, Dustup

Davidson, Nancy
RowdyAnn, 2012
Fabric, foam, wood, plastic, metal
87 x 67 x 72 inches
220.98 x 170.18 x 182.88 cm

Nancy Davidson, Dustup

Davidson, Nancy
All Stories areTrue, 2009
SD Video

Nancy Davidson, Dustup

Davidson, Nancy
Dustup, 2012
Vinyl coated nylon, rope, leather, blowers, sawdust, sandbags
252 x 192 x 192 inches
640.08 x 487.68 x 487.68 cm

Nancy Davidson, Dustup

Davidson, Nancy
Carnivaleyes, 1998-1999
Latex, Fabric, Rope
36 x 55 x 34 inches
91.44 x 139.7 x 86.36 cm

Nancy Davidson, Dustup

Installation view

Nancy Davidson, Dustup

Davidson, Nancy
Dustup, 2012
Vinyl coated nylon, rope, leather, blowers, sawdust, sandbags
252 x 192 x 192 inches
640.08 x 487.68 x 487.68 cm