Renée Cox

In this witty and dramatic large-scale work, the artist reinterprets Howard Chandler Christy’s iconic painting, Scene at The Signing of the Constitution of the United States, which is housed in the United State Capitol Building. In her contemporary (and glamorous) twist, Cox’s photograph reimagines modern-day women and men of color in the place of the Founding Fathers. Her subjects are all decked out ─ some in current fashions, others in 1700s period clothing, and some wear dazzling African garb.

In describing The Signing, Cox states: “This work aims to unleash the potential of the ordinary and bring it into a new realm of possibilities. It's about time we re-imagine our own constitutions.”  

The image brings to light that although people of color did not participate in the signing of the Constitution, they have most certainly played important roles and made vital contributions to the building of this country.

© Renée Cox