The Photography of Ivan McClellan.-Black Cowboy Culture
In conjunction with Taproot’s World Premiere of Last Drive to Dodge whose main character is a post-Civil War Black man working as a cow-hand on ranch in Texas, the subject matter of the Art Exhibition in the lobby Eight Seconds: the Photogarphy of Ivan McClellan is about modern day Black cowboys on the Black Rodeo circuit. 
McClellan recounts that he became interested in Black Rodeo when he accidently Charles Perry who was working on a documentary about Black Cowboys. This chance encounter led him to his first rodeo in Oklahoma. For the next seven years, McClellan has been travelling the circuit to photograph these rodeo riders.
The photographs displayed in the lobby are vibrant photos of Black folks in traditional cowboy outfits with beautiful horses.
Ivan McClellan’s photography brings Andrew Lee Creech’s story of Prophet and Ro in Last Drive to
Dodge to us directly, here in the 21st century. Looking at Ivan’s breathtaking portraits there is no doubt
that the culture, the work, the heart, and the hope that Andrew captures onstage has persevered. The
Black cowboy is alive and well and riding still.
All works in the exhibition are available for purchase unless marked by a red dot. Please visit Ivan’s
website, https://eightsecs.com/, for more information on his work.
