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Home / Exhibits
Revealing Character
February 16 – May 4, 2008
Mention the character of Texas, and many conjure up an iconic rugged, maverick cowboy. While the working Texas cowboy is often more industrious or humble than his Hollywood counterpart, Texans today still look to the cowboy as a prime source of the state’s rich character.
Developed in the mid-19th century, the tintype was America’s first major contribution to the art of photography. Though it is a tedious, time-consuming process by today’s standards, the tintype creates unique and resonant images, and its long exposure times allow revelations about a subject’s character that aren’t possible with conventional photography.
Robb Kendrick’s series of tintype photographs of the modern-day cowboy in Texas came out of the desire to explore the notion of Texas character. Kendrick visited more than 25 ranches in his travels around the state, documenting the lives of true working Texas cowboys.
Soon after the first photos were shot, it was apparent “Character of Texas” would be a powerful body of work that warranted exposure and preservation for generations to come. Selections of the collection are featured in the special exhibition Revealing Character.
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