Guild Hall’s newly renovated galleries will reopen on Sunday, July 2, with a solo exhibition by artist Renee Cox, organized by independent curator Monique Long.
“Renee Cox: A Proof of Being” is a selection of the artist’s most well-known and celebrated photographs from 1993 to the present. The subjects of the work that Cox creates are variably historical figures, art history tropes, cosmopolitan socialites and Afro-centric superheroes, positioned as both confident and sexual.
“Renee Cox’s intrepid gaze has been a part of the zeitgeist for nearly 30 years,” said Monique Long. “Her work has been influential across disciplines including popular culture, music, fashion, and of course, visual art.”
Cox is a visual artist who primarily works in photography and video. “Renee Cox: A Proof of Being” comprises selections from the artist’s most recognizable bodies of work, including her groundbreaking “Yo Mama” series and her iconic photographs devoted to Jamaican national hero Queen Nanny. She works to deconstruct stereotypes, engage the viewer, and challenge their preconceived ideas about gender and race.
“Renee Cox’s work underscores the importance of examining visual culture, and we are pleased to work with her along with Monique Long to present this survey of Renee’s work as the first exhibition in our newly renovated galleries,” said Melanie Crader, Guild Hall’s new director of visual arts.
In her work, Cox explores the possibilities of new and affirming self-representations for Black diasporic peoples as a visual corrective to both art history and history writ large — transforming dispossession into self-possession. By deconstructing the Black female body, she reveals the myths behind it.
On July 9, at 1 p.m., in conjunction with the exhibition, Renee Cox and photographer, historian, educator and MacArthur grantee Deborah Willis discuss their work, shared interests, and the representation of the Black body. Visit guildhall.org for tickets. “Renee Cox: A Proof of Being” will be on view at Guild Hall through September 4. Gallery hours are noon to 5 p.m., Thursday to Monday. Admission is free or pay what you can. Guild Hall is at 158 Main Street, East Hampton.
Staff Writer on Jun 6, 2023