Exhibit in Davenport features past and present works of the West

A few centuries ago, settlers who crossed the Mississippi River into what’s now Iowa were entering the land of the Wild West. A new exhibit at the Davenport Museum of Art contrasts artwork from the late-18-hundreds with today’s artists in the western U-S. Museum spokeswoman Angela Carlson says many of the images of the old West are done by well-known artists and romanticize the era.The exhibit is called “Old West, New West: Art of the American Frontier.” The collection of paintings, lithographs and bronze sculptures traces the way past and present artists represented the Western landscape and myths. Carlson says one of the new works is by Luis Jimenez who focuses on Mexican-Americans and the working class as his primary audience.While Iowa may seem relatively tame and boring compared to other more populated, non-agricultural states, Carlson says this exhibit reminds us of Iowa’s rugged heritage.The exhibit will be in Davenport through June 30th. For more information, surf to “www.art-dma.org” or call (563) 326-7804.