Cowboy Dream

Cowboy Dream, a 12 ft tall painted steel pole, celebrates the legacy and achievements of Black cowboys who helped shape the American West after Reconstruction – a narrative often overlooked in American history and entertainment. 

Following the US Civil War which took place from 1861 - 1865, many Black Americans ventured west to drive cattle and build the frontier. This work is thematically connected to the agricultural concept presented in Williams’ Black Tractor Project, viewable in Wilder Park on the Museum’s south side. Here, the artist uses silhouettes of a cowboy and farm animals to honor the importance of Black cowboys in the development of the American west. The work is an act of reclamation, intended to reassert this prominent presence back into American history. 

This abstract, metal sculpture is one of two works in CROSSINGS that resemble sign posts, referencing a confluence of past, present, and future by pointing in multiple directions simultaneously. They were created in 2025 specifically for this exhibition, and correspond to Williams' theme of mobility in terms of Black achievement and expansion to new horizons.