Abstract

Introduction: Kansas has been called the "Gateway to the West." As a visual artist I am interested in the West as both a location and a state of mind. Through various photographic projects, I have sought to draw attention to contradictions between factual and fictional depictions of the West and to contemplate the presence of this lore in contemporary culture.

Keywords:

• Staging the West,
• the West in contemporary culture,
• folklore,
• Chisholm Trail,
• Germany,
• festival,
• mythology of the West