From the perspective of an objective outsider, U.S. culture is largely defined by advertising, media, and warfare. The United States is known worldwide as the embodiment of the “American Dream,” a promise that continues to inspire people across the globe. Yet, for those who experience life in the country firsthand, it becomes clear that the ideal of the American Dream has long vanished, leaving behind little more than an endless echo of media promoting the greatness of Americans.
This series, titled American Dream Catchers, examines the failure of the American Dream and reflects on the erasure of the country’s original culture. Native American traditions, knowledge, and ways of life were systematically undermined and often abolished by those now celebrated internationally as “Americans.” Through this work, I explore the tension between myth and reality, the commodification of cultural identity, and the consequences of historical erasure, inviting viewers to consider what has been lost in the pursuit of an imagined national ideal.
