Danté Marie Cox

http://dantemarie.foliosnap.com/

Artist Statement
Written to accompany work exhibited for "Art Squeak" 2007.
Dante Marie Cox
Until her recent settlement in Los Angeles, artist, Dante Marie Cox had lived a characteristically transient existence since her birth in 1979 in present day Zimbabwe. Cox credits the string of cities she has moved through with her zeal for collecting souvenirs as evidence of her experience. As a young girl, arranging the objects within a display served as a tangible alternative to the physical idea of "home" and a substitute for the lack of a defined cultural identity. Still drawn to artifacts that possess history and are emblematic of her personal narrative, Cox works primarily within the range of sculpture, installation, and assemblage work.

Inspired by a visit to one country of her youth, South Africa, Cox created a makeshift city of found wood and other artifacts, reminiscent of housing of the poor throughout the less-developed world. Her current sculpture juxtaposes collected items from her daily routines with traditional art materials, begging the question, "What does it mean to make something out of nothing?" Interested in its implications regarding both identity and environment, Cox plans further inquiries into the issues that arise when that question is posed within the cultural context of Los Angeles.