Throughout the semester, we’re shining a light on the Art Department’s graduating MFA candidates as they present their final thesis exhibitions. These exhibitions are the culmination of years of dedicated study and artistic exploration, showcasing our students’ diverse talents and innovative approaches to art-making.
London Huser creates artwork using various mediums that looks at the lives of people living in between large cities. Her exhibition draws from early American animation, the fantasy of the American Western frontier, and Toby Keith’s song by the same name. It combines a lot of her own childhood — cartoons, cowboys, and country music.
“I create from my childhood nostalgia through the adult perspective to show the rich, cultural experiences found in small towns. There is a whole lot of life happening in the towns we drive through,” Huser says.
Huser’s MFA thesis exhibition, “I Should’ve Been A Cowboy,” will be on view in UW–Madison’s Art Lofts (111 N. Frances St.) from March 10–15. An opening reception, which is free and open to the public, will take place on Wednesday, March 11, from 6 to 8 p.m.
We asked Huser to share some insights into her work:
What do you create?
My artwork is inspired by growing up below the poverty line in rural Oklahoma and Kentucky. I am interested in how someone creates identity in geographic isolation. Things like trucks, hunting trips, and old family recipes become deeply special in my work.
What inspired you to create the work in your exhibition?
I was inspired to make this work because I wanted to return to joy and play in art. At 18, I was a first-generation college student who chose to become an artist because I simply loved to draw, and a lot of what I drew were cartoons.
How did you create it?
The work is an installation of large-scale cartoons painted and drawn on cardboard. The work references Western Americana tropes and clichés, as well as historical figures like Annie Oakley and Buffalo Bill.
What do you hope viewers take away from your exhibition?
When someone walks into the gallery, I want the viewer to feel like they are stepping into an animated world. For a moment, they also get to be a cowboy on the open prairie.