Why so much Pioneer art?

I wonder sometimes how the pioneers would feel seeing their journey across the plains romanticized the way it is. Surely at the time they were concerned with keeping up and making it through one more day, with keeping dry or keeping warm, with feeding their families. The image of families pushing handcarts or singing pioneer children might seem humorous to those who were in the thick of it. It may not be inaccurate, but I imagine it’s amusing for them to see something that was so commonplace and monotonous in their day made to be something of an ideal in ours.
Perhaps there is nothing more clearly “Mormon” than the story of the pioneers. They represent the faith, hope, charity, sacrifice, obedience, patience, humility, dedication, and unity for which we all strive. Naturally, then, the pioneers have been the subjects of and inspiration for much of what we see in Mormon art. The sesquicentennial celebration of 1997 brought about a renewal of this aesthetic and a veritable explosion of Pioneer-centered works by, for, and about Mormons.
Some seemed relatively indulgent. We watched in class what might be called the first Mormon music videos: a collection of folk songs accompanied by footage of the trek that sought to recreate the cross-country journey of the pioneers. This really was mainly indulgent and I found it hard to believe that someone could sit through one of the three 90-minute installments without, as I found myself doing, falling asleep. I can see, though, the appeal of such a production to those who simply wish to celebrate their heritage and the great feats that our forebears have accomplished.
Many celebrations accompanied the commemoration including one at BYU that was grand in scope and heavy in spectacle. The Church has a tradition of pageants and this exuberance was captured in the clip we saw of the pioneer celebration. Obviously this was an event that celebrated not just the arrival in the Salt Lake Valley but of the ideals that drive Church members, the “Mormon Dream,” if you will.
Certainly the most famous pioneer movie is “Legacy.” “Legacy” is a Hollywood-style epic film that celebrates the nobility of the pioneers and connects that heritage to each of us who find ourselves beneficiaries of the sacrifices that they made. I watch this movie and realize that the Pioneer aesthetic isn’t purely nostalgic or indulgent but is a manifestation of the Restored Gospel in action. This has become a “Title of Liberty” of sorts that we can raise up and strive to uphold in our own lives. This is why we keep seeing the pioneers and will continue to appreciate their stories.