Renee V. Cox papers
name: label: Creator
content: Cox, Renée, 1960-
topic: label: Occupation
content: Photographers -- New York (State) -- New York
label: Topic
content: African American artists
label: Topic
content: Women artists
label: Topic
content: Women photographers
label: Topic
content: African American photographers
acqinfo: label: Provenance
content: The papers were donated in 2019 by Renee V. Cox as part of the Archives' African American Collecting Initiative funded by the Henry Luce Foundation.
creator: label: Creator
content: Cox, Renée, 1960-
setName: label: See more items in
content: Renee V. Cox papers
abstract: label: Summary
content: The papers of African American photographer Renee V. Cox measure 5.7 linear feet and date from 1973 to 2018, with individual materials from 1945 and 1955. The bulk of the materials date from the 1990s. The collection contains biographical material, correspondence, writings, exhibition files, materials related to Cox's photographic projects and other professional activities, personal business records, printed material, and photographic material.
bioghist: label: Biographical / Historical
content: Renee V. Cox (1960- ) is a Jamaican-born African American photographer in New York, NY. She is known for using her work to celebrate Black womanhood and for confronting racism and sexism in her reimagined depictions of religious or cultural figures. Cox began her photographic career as a fashion photographer, working with major fashion houses, supermodels, and agencies to create images that were published in Essence, Seventeen, Mademoiselle, Ebony Man, Sportswear International, and many others. 

In 1992, she earned her Master of Fine Arts from the School of Visual Arts in New York, NY and went on to attend the Whitney Museum of American Art Independent Study Program. Renee Cox was the first woman to attend the program while pregnant and she created works in her  Yo Mama series during this time, including a statue of her nude, pregnant form.  

In 2001, Cox's work Yo Mama's Last Supper was included in the Committed to the Image exhibition at the Brooklyn Museum. The image is a reimagining of Leonardo Da Vinci's The Last Supper with Cox as Jesus surrounded by Black disciples and a white Judas. New York mayor Rudolph Giuliani called for a commission to set decency standards for any New York museum receiving public funds. In addition to the press coverage, Cox received hate mail and threats from people about the piece. 

Cox continues to create work engaged in dialogues about the intersection of race, gender, class, and power. Her work has been exhibited internationally and is held in many private and public collections.
physdesc: label: Extent
content: 5.7 Linear Feet
unitdate: label: Date
content: 1945-2016
label: Date
content: bulk 1990s
dataSource: label: Archival Repository
content: Archives of American Art
identifier: label: Identifier
content: AAA.coxrenee
objectType: label: Type
content: Collection descriptions
label: Type
content: Archival materials
arrangement: label: Arrangement
content: This collection is arranged as eight series.

Series 1: Biographical Material, 1945, 1955, 1973-2011 (Box 1; 0.3 linear feet)

Series 2: Correspondence, 1975-1977, 1990-2008 (Box 1; 0.3 linear feet)

Series 3: Writings, circa 1975, circa 1990s-2008 (Boxes 1-2; 0.4 linear feet)

Series 4: Exhibition Files, circa 1990s-2010 (Box 2; 0.4 linear feet)

Series 5: Projects and Professional Activities, circa 1987-2009 (Box 2, Box 7; 0.4 linear feet)

Series 6: Personal Business Records, 1992-2015 (Box 3; 0.2 linear feet)

Series 7: Printed Material, 1974-2018 (Boxes 3-7; 3.4 linear feet)

Series 8: Photographic Material, circa 1980s-2000s, undated (Boxes 6-7; 0.3 linear feet)
processinfo: label: Processing Information
content: The collection was minimally processed and a finding aid prepared by Rayna Andrews in 2021 with funding from the Henry Luce Foundation.
scopecontent: label: Scope and Contents
content: The papers of African American photographer Renee V. Cox measure 5.7 linear feet and date from 1973 to 2018, with individual materials from 1945 and 1955. The bulk of the materials date from the 1990s. The collection contains biographical material including resumes, calendars and appointment books, education records, and family records; personal and professional correspondence; writings including notes, notebooks/sketchbooks, artist statements, and writings by others; and exhibition files, including plans, photographs, and loan forms. Also included are materials related to Cox's photographic projects and other professional activities, including proposals, plans, teaching files, and professional travel itineraries, as well as material related to the Yo Mama's Last Supper controversy; personal business records, including invoices, sales records, contracts, and agreements; printed material, including clippings, exhibition materials, magazines, and newspapers; and photographic material including slides, contact sheets, prints and copies of Cox's work, family photographs, travel photographs, and photograph portfolios/scrapbooks.