Manifest Destiny

The Manifest Destiny Billboard Project
by Zoe Crosher + LAND
Fall 2013 – Spring 2015
Interstate 10 Freeway

ABOUT MD

The Manifest Destiny Billboard Project is a series of artist-produced billboards and activations that unfolded along Interstate 10 Freeway from Florida to California – from October 2013 to June 2015.

The project was conceived by artist Zoe Crosher and co-curated by the artist and LAND‘s Director and Curator, Shamim M. Momin.

The concept of Manifest Destiny underpinned America’s territorial expansion across North America. The artists explored this problematic and layered history using approximately 100 billboards total, 10 artists creating “chapters” along I-10, each a unique interpretive link to the exhibition thematic. The billboards moved through and punctuated the landscape by tracing territorial expansion from east to west, along one of the country’s busiest freeways, concluding in Los Angeles. The billboards were activated through various events, programs, and social media outlets for dialogue and interaction with local communities.

THE SCENTS

Zoe Crosher worked with the IAO to compose an edition of scents for each stop along the way.

The Manifest Destiny perfume is a site-specific iterative edition of scents that adapts for each stop along the way while retaining the olfactory through-line. The perfume formula is designed to evoke a hot road trip, and includes notes of sun dust, old car interiors, hot vinyl, electronics, leather, sweat, night blooming jasmine, tobacco, dried pine needles in the summer, foliage in a state of slight decay, and bourbon.

The iterations took their cue from each segment’s local flora, fauna, or cultural touchstones. Each iteration was produced in a limited run of 20 bottles.

Chapter 1: October 2013
Interstate 10 from Jacksonville, FL
Billboard Artist: Shana Lutker
Scent Iteration: Bitter oranges

Chapter 2: January 2014
Interstate 10 from Mobile AL.
Billboard Artist: Mario Ybarra Jr.
Scent Iteration: Waffle house syrup and magnolia flowers

Chapter 3: April 2014
Interstate 10 from New Orleans LA.
Billboard Artist: Sanford Biggers
Scent Iteration: Mud and dripping moss.

Chapter 4: June 2014
Interstate 10 from Houston TX.
Billboard Artist: Eve Fowler
Scent Iteration: Leather, animalic musk, oil

Chapter 5: September 2014
Interstate 10 from San Antonio, TX.
Billboard Artist: John Baldessari
Scent Iteration: Rose and gunpowder

Chapter 6 + 7: January 2014
Interstate 10 from El Paso, TX. through New Mexico
Billboard Artist: Jeremy Shaw / Daniel Small
Scent Iteration: Cactus Flower