What better way to approach an American myth than through a road trip? Joachim Hildebrand
travelled through the seven states of the American Southwest, in which the Wild West is
located both geographically and in our imagination. The title of the book inevitably
evokes images full of clichés and stereotypes. Today, where the wilderness has been
displaced by civilization, Hildebrand discovers entirely different scenes than those
generally associated with the Wild West and the American frontier. He sets his sight on
blurred contours, contradictions, borders, and transitions: from architecture to nature,
from urbanity to landscape. The archetypes of the American West have become mere
platitudes. Here, the myths of the Wild West and the »manifest destiny«, which are so
essential for the self-understanding of the USA, are deconstructed. For Joachim
Hildebrand, however, the West continues to fascinate as a visual adventure.
Awards Awarded at: European Architecktural Photography Prize Art Forward Award ARTslant Prize Kolga Geocell Award Life Framer Award Moscow International Foto Awards IPOTY Awards Aesthetica Art Prize longlisted Belfast Photo Festival shortlisted Artist Residency at HuanTie Times Art Museum, Beijing
