Joan Cox
MFA ’13 Fine Arts Low-Residency
Based in Baltimore, Maryland, Joan’s work fits into the context of identity politics, with equal parts feminist agenda and lesbian narrative, truthfully, they’re all about human intimacy. Cox’s lush narrative paintings present the viewer with richly symbolic images of intimate relationships between two women, acknowledging and emphasizing the female gaze.
Joan embarked on her artistic journey with a bachelor’s degree in painting in 1991, a pivotal moment in her life marked by personal and societal shifts. Her experiences resonate with her generation, encompassing the complexities of coming out during her college years, navigating the landscape of the AIDS pandemic, and ultimately finding her long-time partner. As an artist with a strong focus on figurative work and queer narratives, her journey has been a gradual and deeply transformative evolution.
Joan draws on her life with her partner of twenty years as well as the intimate lives of lesbian couples in her community. She focuses on stories championing their undeniably intense, complex, celebratory, and still taboo relationships. Her paintings encourage viewers to recognize and celebrate the authenticity of intimate relationships between two women, highlighting and affirming the true tenets of love.
Joan Cox (born 1969, USA) is a figurative painter who focuses on depicting intimate relationships between women. Growing up in Baltimore, Maryland, Joan navigated her formative years during a time when LGBTQ+ identities were marginalized and silenced. Her solo exhibition, Sapphic Gaze, was held at the IA&A Hillyer Gallery in Washington, DC in August 2024. For more information on her work and exhibition schedule, follow her Instagram @joancoxartist or her website at joancoxart.com.
