This Ain’t My First Rodeo is the fourth annual Black History Month exhibition organized by the Cleveland Institute of Art's Black Scholars and Artists students. The exhibition will showcase a series of artworks that respond to Black American Culture’s contributions to the American West—historically and in modern-day pop culture narratives. 

This Ain’t My First Rodeo will be on view February 6–27 in CIA's Ann and Norman Roulet Student + Alumni Gallery and the Mary Ann and Jack Katzenmeyer Student Lounge. An opening reception will be held from 6 to 8pm Friday, February 6. 

Artist Statement: Saddle up! This Ain’t My First Rodeo guides the viewer through a crucial journey where a part of American history has been buried and long forgotten. The term cowboy originates from deep roots in Black American Culture, derived from the West. Their monumental contributions to Western lifestyle are often overlooked and booted to the wayside in modern-day pop culture narratives, despite their pivotal role in this cultural development. This lifestyle can be curated and interpreted through various thematic lenses, media, and narratives. Shaping America through raw labor, sweat, and tears reflects how we as a multi-dimensional people have historically and contemporarily existed, contributed to, and redefined life in the American West, making it no easy task. The use of different forms of media and materials celebrate the diversity of different voices within this collection of artists, becoming a shared dialogue. Come on down and immerse yourself in our hand-built cowboy fantasy, with darn good adventure, thriller, history, and more. 

Image credit: "Not Supposed to Look Up" by Ashton Burton, oil on wood panel, 12 x 12 inches, 2025. 

SPONSORS

Reinberger Gallery programming is supported in part by the residents of Cuyahoga County, through a public grant from Cuyahoga Arts & Culture. Our exhibitions are also generously supported by CIA's Community Partners.