Pioneer Act I: Where’s My Horse?
In Pioneer: Where’s My Horse? I perform an iconic Pioneer Persona. I blur past and present ideals of westward migration through this singular “everyman” character. The Pioneer is eternally lost. She is seen wandering in anytime deserts and contemporary housing developments. She is stranded in time and place without communication or transportation.
The Pioneer is in a state of delirium from her traumatic isolation and loss of her horse. Her consciousness and visual field are dream-like. I blur the animations and saturate the colors to emphasize that she is physically experiencing this sense of loss and disillusionment. The soundtrack of the video repeats a singular voice saying “Where’s my Horse?” It can also be heard as “Where’s My House?”
The footage for Pioneer was shot in Maricopa County, Arizona. This county gained 696,000 residents between the years 2000 and 2006, making it the fastest growing county in the United States. Since 2005, the housing market in Maricopa has declined sharply and foreclosures of homes have sky-rocketed. Those who propelled themselves into the desert five years ago are unable to sell their homes, and many have faced foreclosure.