Artists: A - G: Matthew Cox

Recent work for Matthew Cox deals with the idea of redefinition. By combining a material or social idea with an unexpected one they both are taken out of their expected context and their original intention is redefined. He created two series of work, at first, seemingly different bodies of work but look closely and each is built on this idea of redefinition.

The first series is a group of embroidered medical x-rays. These two divergent materials, slick photographic plastic and French embroidery thread, are joined. Cox sews through the x-ray to partially reconstitute the figure over the bone. The materials blend, overlaying the hard medical practicality with the nurturing and labor-intensive action of stitching.

In the second he has created a fictitious company called Crimini Couture [a.k.a. Crimes Couture]. Here the socially stigmatic acts of crime have shifted into a sales device for fashion. Painted criminal events depict models on crime scenes and in prison cells. Crime sells the news, movies, video, products - can crime sell high fashion?

Matthew Cox studied at Parsons School of Design, New York and Otis/Parsons School of Design, Los Angeles. His recent exhibitions are: International Museum of Surgical Science, Chicago; LTMH Gallery, NYC; Centre for the Living Arts, Mobile Al and more. He was awarded the Pew Charitable Trusts Fellow, Philadelphia, PA. His work is in private collections and public collections in: the New Orleans Museum of Art and the Georgetown College Art Gallery.