The Buffalo Bill Center of the West presents POP! Goes the West, a dazzling new exhibition now open in the Anne & Charles Duncan Special Exhibition Gallery.

Running through Jan. 26, this vibrant exhibition brings together more than 50 years of artwork at the intersection of western iconography and popular culture.

POP! showcases a dynamic blend of classic western subjects and the vivid visual language of Pop Art, featuring standout works from the center’s collections alongside notable loans from across the country. The exhibition explores how mass culture and storytelling traditions have influenced our vision of the American West.

Central to the show are works from Andy Warhol’s Cowboys and Indians portfolio, featuring figures like George Armstrong Custer and Geronimo, rendered through the lens of celebrity. These iconic images set the stage for an exhibition that spans from familiar cowboys and Annie Oakley to abstract neon landscapes — each piece challenging convention through wit, irony and cultural critique.

Spanning five decades of bold, innovative work, the exhibition reveals how media and mass-market imagery have continually reshaped the visual story of the West. Visitors will encounter not only striking artworks by 30 contemporary artists, but also historical objects from the center’s collection — like Wild West posters, comics, and toys — that trace the roots of Pop Art in everyday western imagery. Interactive elements and hands-on activities will encourage audiences of all ages to look closer, think critically, and playfully engage with the evolving visual language of the West. With humor, color, and curiosity, POP! invites visitors to see western art as an ever-changing, richly layered conversation.

“The artworks in POP! Goes the West are playful, eye-catching, and insightful,” said Susan Barnett, the Margaret and Dick Scarlett curator of Western American Art at the Whitney Western Art Museum. “We’re inviting visitors to consider how popular media and art have influenced their understanding of the West — its histories, peoples, and identities. The show is filled with dynamic visuals, but beneath the bright colors are important questions about what stories we tell about the West and who gets to tell them.”

Highlights include:

Billy Schenck’s “A Flight from Destiny,” which riffs on movie backdrops and classic western paintings.

David Bradley’s “American Indian Gothic,” a striking reimagining of Grant Wood’s iconic composition.

Bently Spang’s “Photo Reclamation Series,” using commercial Indian figurines to critique cultural appropriation.

Anne Coe’s satirical “At the End of Her Rope,” confronting western clichés with irony and flair.

The exhibition also features accessibility enhancements, including a free digital guide on the Bloomberg Connects app. Visitors can hear from contemporary artists in their own words and engage with the artworks through audio, video, and multilingual features.

POP! Goes the West is supported in part by a grant from the Wyoming Cultural Trust Fund, a program of the Department of State Parks and Cultural Resources, Diane Collection — Frère Family, and Reid Schell — Handle With Care.

For more information, visit centerofthewest.org/exhibition-pop-goes-the-west/.