Stephen Cox

Description

Influenced by ancient traditions, religions and civilisations of the East and West, in particular India, Steven Cox's work is steeped with symbolism and meaning. It is borne from an ongoing desire to explore the notion of art, particularly sculpture, as a universal language, communicating ideas to people from all cultures and beliefs without words or explanation.

The way in which the subject of sex and gender is touched upon in religion, specifically interests Cox and this sculpture hones in on how masculinity is described in Hinduism. The lingam (or phallus) is one of the iconographical images associated with the God Siva - 'the destroyer' and carvings of this particular symbol found in temples across the country struck Cox deeply.

Projecting straight up from the ground with repeated cylindrical mounds adorned on its outside, references to the penis are plain to see. It is imposing in scale and because of the qualities of the stone; hard and dark with visible, rough chisel marks, the work has a strong masculine feel to it.

Statues of the lingam in India often appear in conjunction with a female counterpart, so it is interesting to observe the relationship of this sculpture with the ground, seeing 'mother earth' as its inherently female partner.