Redefinition of materials motivates Cox to create embroidered x-rays. By
joining the cold, blue, medically technical plastic of the x-ray with the
colorful, decorative and tactile embroidery thread each is removed from its
original intention and creates a new entity. Handling these media also
gives him an opportunity to comment on the ever increasing presence of
photography in contemporary art by introducing labor over the quick,
slickness of film. In Heartthrobs and Avatars, 2011, he transports this
technique to a new place using iconic heartthrobs from Pop culture such as
Snow White and Miss Piggy and avatars from Eastern religion and Greek
mythology such as Ganesha and Minotaur. The possible visual imagery is rich,
vast, and exciting. This new move has also gives him an opportunity to
physically move out of the rectangle of the x-ray by extending the
embroidery upward and outside of the frame.
