douglas Kornfeld
"Cattle Crossing" - 1998
Dimensions: 8’ x 132’ x 108’
Materials: Silk-screened Vinyl, Aluminum, and Steel
Location: Connemara Conservancy, Plano, TX
Commissioning Agency: Connemara Conservancy
Located within the 72-acre Connemara Conservancy near Plano, TX, this installation is made up of 50 signs, identical to standard traffic warning signs. Each depicts the head of a Texas longhorn, arranged to mimic a herd crossing a stream. By using the high-visibility yellow and black aesthetic of roadside warning signage, the work critiques the "theme park,” or curated version of Western heritage that often replaces authentic history. It calls into question symbols and how they can be used to direct, describe, or possibly obscure authentic experience.
(Click on the thumbnails below to see an enlarged version on the right.)
