'Indian "Terror" Tory'
Brandon Maldonado
ink, colored pencil, retro map
35.5 x 51" (framed)

The popular phrase is "America the Beautiful," and isn't it truly so! And we should celebrate it as such, from the vast fertile lands, to the awe-inspiring mountain top vistas, but we should not forget that in pursuit of this American desire for "Manifest Destiny" or the idea that the nation would extend from sea to shining sea. Unfortunately, this dream to some would ultimately become a nightmare to others. Many native peoples were killed and pushed from their home lands. Bison were slaughtered at an unimaginable rate in an attempt to eliminate the people's food source, as noted in the 1892 historic photo of a bison skull stack in bottom right of this picture. This is the Ugly History of America the Beautiful, built upon the blood of many. A story of Indian "Terror" tory. - Brandon Maldonado