Dr Michelle Cox
Against the Grain
40cm x 40cm x 80cm
Mixed-media sculpture
2023.
This orange and pink sculpture is a cheeky tribute to single mums, which surprises the viewer, as it goes against societal expectations of social disparaging of single mums. It is a faux award, including a bold, heart shaped plaque titled, Single Mum of the Year, a tongue in cheek award for the artist, who feels that single mums deserve more awards, anyway. Dr Cox enjoyed experimenting with large pink sequins, faux pearls, hot pink wooden beads, golden and pink aluminium wire; spray painted stripes and gold leaf-shaped stencil elements layered over the textured ceramic vase. The lacquered wooden base has hand painted fluorescent dots and dabs, with spray painted orange elements. Memories of fluorescent colours in 80s fashion and softly rendered, retro spray painted scenes have inspired the decoration of the sculpture. The singularity theme of the exhibition goes hand in hand with the single mum award and going against the grain of society. The experimentation theme relates to the playful nature of the way in which the artist has engaged with the materials.
Authentic
width 55 cm x depth 30 cm x height 38 cm
Mixed-media sculpture
2024.
This hot pink mixed media sculpture has a hand-painted plaque which states, Prize for being herself. It was inspired by memory and the concept of feeling free to be yourself, in the way you present yourself to the world. This relates to the Singularity theme of the exhibition, in relation to self individuality. The sculpture features hand-painted elements using polymer clay as well as faux diamantes, fake pearls, glass, wood, crystal and semi-precious stone beads. A steel base has aluminium wire beaded attachments, with spray-painted pink and purple elements threaded through the wire. Treasures of threaded beads adorn the structure, with an element of 80s pop glamour, including purple ribbon and a silver chain hanging beneath the plaque. Experimenting with materials, particularly how metal, wire and beads could be combined in a playful, fun way, relates to the theme of the exhibition, Experimentation.
STATEMENT
Dr Michelle Cox is an Australian visual artist and completed her studies at the Sydney College of Arts, where she obtained an Honours degree in Visual Arts (2010). She creates mixed-media sculptures woven, stitched and threaded with wire and beads of glass, wood, and semi-precious stones. These deconstructed sculptures have exposed twists of wire, reflecting the impulsive, intuitive way that she creates her work. She is instinctively drawn to some materials, which are historically feminine, such as beadwork and fabric, after growing up around dance schools and costumes, with a strong seamstress line of several generations on her mother’s side. She enjoys drawing/painting figurative and architectural works, as well as building a complex colour palette using mixed-media materials. Over 2022-2023 she was commissioned by Hobson’s Bay City Council to create an outdoor installation for the Dear Agnes Project, inspired by A forest for Australia (Agnes Denes). She produced a large group of botanical sculptures inspired by rare Banksia plants, which were installed with curve stitched circular forms under a tree canopy. Michelle has had exhibitions at Off the Kerb Gallery (2011) in Fitzroy, Melbourne and Trocadero Artspace in Footscray, Melbourne showcasing her environmental animations and Female Dialogues (2013) video pieces. Michelle showed her Climate Change Animation in the Melbourne Fringe Festival (2011) and was selected for the Outside Eye Mentorship Program. She was selected for two group shows at the NSW Nuclear Freeways Fundraiser, Mori Gallery, Sydney, NSW and the Selected SCA Group Show, Coffs Harbour Regional Gallery, Coffs Harbour, NSW. She won a Palm Award (2009) for her video art works, Hill Painting and Party for One, which were quirky outdoor installations, featuring moving science experiments. She attended Julian Ashton Art School in the Rocks, Sydney in 2006, developing her painting and drawing techniques.
Dr Michelle Cox