New Exhibit on Hollywood Westerns coming to Briscoe Museum

A still from The Wild Bunch. Image courtesy: Briscoe Western Art Museum

How many times have you donned on a Cowboy hat, strapped on your one good pair of boots and held a toothpick between your teeth after watching a good Hollywood Western? Well, dressing-up is one way to relive the heroic misdeeds of the thugs in the Old West, another is to watch Westworld (of course) but a third way is to check out the new exhibit coming up at the Briscoe Western Art Museum.

Still in the Saddle: A New History of the Hollywood Western will be on show at the museum from 28 May to 6 September to inspire and educate the public about the cultures and shared heritage of the cinema on the Wild West.

The museum itself will witness a grand makeover that will turn the space into a 1960s movie theatre complete with a red carpet, those signature velvet ropes, costumes and vintage movie posters. In an immersive display of artworks, the exhibit will also include movie clips from old Westerns that highlight the sheer brilliance of the filmmakers of this era.

What’s the story of the Hollywood Westerns?

Hollywood Westerns have a dramatic history that can be traced from the 1960s to the 1980s, when these movies were at the peak of their popularity. The films were made against the backdrop of great social, political and economic turmoil in America. They competed for attention against each other, one vision of The Wild West colliding with another, and together created the rich tapestry of ‘Westerns’ in cinematic history.

John Wayne in True Grit. Image courtesy: Briscoe Western Art Museum

This exhibit is to be visited to soak in the screen power of the stars of the Westerns like John Wayne and Ben Johnson and films like True Grit, Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid and The Wild Bunch. If that’s not enough, the museum will also be screening a bunch of these films as part of its Summer Film Series on the third Sunday of each month through the duration of the exhibit.

Along with that, a talk with the guest curator Andrew Patrick Nelson has also been organized on 29 May for those who wish to get an in-depth peek into Still in the Saddle. The exhibit after all, is sure to be influenced by Nelson’s study of the richness and diversity of this genre which has been laid out in his book, Still in the Saddle: The Hollywood Western, 1969-1980.

Logistics for the New Exhibit coming to Briscoe Museum

Entry into the exhibit and film screening is free for members. You can also avail a commemorative refillable popcorn bucket at the screening.

For non-members, entry fee for the exhibit is $25 and entry into the film screening is $10.

COVID-19 precautions: Social distancing will be observed at the gatherings for the benefit of the patrons.

To know more about the exhibit, visit Still in the Saddle’s page on the museum’s website.

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San Antonio Area Attractions:

One visit to the San Antonio Zoo
One visit to the Witte Museum
One visit to the Buckhorn Museum
One visit to Splashtown
One visit to Wonder World Park
One visit to the San Antonio Aquarium
One visit to Rush Fun Park
Two visits to Urban Air Trampoline Park
Six tickets to the University of Texas – San Antonio athletic events (multiple sports)
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