Becca Cox:
Becca Cox
Environmental Science major, Studio Art minor
In my work, I use history as a tool to gain and convey an intimate understanding of a person or circumstance.
I often look to family photo albums for inspiration, finding wonder in events that occurred before I was born or before I could understand. By incorporating these images into my work, I can connect to members of my family and assess how effects of their formative events might echo through the generations and in my own life.
I also employ historical genres or methods of creating in my work. In my artistic practice, the pursuit of understanding begins with understanding the materials I use. This, in turn, informs my work as I consider the weight of the histories carried by these tools, processes, and materials.
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The Major Arcana (our histories/our futures)
woodcut on paper
Using the major arcana of the traditional tarot deck as a self and family portrait of sorts, I use The Major Arcana (our histories/our futures) to lay out my life and relationships for others to piece together. After researching the historical meaning of the 22 major arcana tarot cards, I used this understanding as a foundation for my own interpretation of each card's defining characteristics and physical characters. I have since developed 22 individual cards, all with unique names, imagery, and meanings. Tarot promises to provide insight into the past, present, and future, and through this deck, I ask the viewer to consider how our past experiences and shared family histories shape our past and paths forward. The development of this arcana has uncovered recurring themes in my own life, and I hope that viewers will discover similar common threads as I invite them to engage with the deck through traditional reading or just by browsing, and to recognize influential moments or characters of their lives in my story. I hope that the exploration of this deck allows access to deeper understandings of ourselves and our commonalities.
