Self Portrait: I Am One Among Many

Stephen W. Cox juxtaposes a photo-realistic graphite self-portrait against a sprawling field of improvised, calligraphic ink lines. Drawing on the mid-century New York School tradition of all-over abstraction, Cox surrounds the central face with an active surface of interlocking gestural marks. This signature accumulation of linear elements forms a harmonious weaving of distinct shapes, contrasting sharply with the meticulously rendered drawing. These divergent modes of image-making create a complex portrait where the artist appears to peer directly at the viewer from behind a dense, continuous web.