Michelle Cox

Dr Cox creates mixed-media botanical sculptures woven, stitched and threaded with wire and beads of glass, wood, stone or clay. Her flower sculptures have developed into activated, surreal creatures. These deconstructed sculptures have exposed twists of wire and a transparent mesh core. She is instinctively drawn to some materials, which are historically feminine, such as beadwork and fabric, after growing up around dance schools and costumes, with a strong seamstress line of several generations on her mother’s side.

Her art practice is inspired by the forms and colours of nature and she has a passion for environmental issues. Over 2022-2023 she was commissioned by Hobson’s Bay City Council to create an outdoor installation for the Dear Agnes Project, inspired by A forest for Australia (Agnes Denes). She produced a large group of botanical sculptures inspired by rare Banksia plants, which were installed with curve stitched circular forms under a tree canopy.

Dr Michelle Cox completed her studies at the Sydney College of Arts, where she obtained an Honours degree in Visual Arts. She loves working with colour and pattern, including the mathematical symmetry and spirals which are found in nature. Wire of different colours is used ...

2007-2010 Sydney College of the Arts – The University of Sydney – BVA (Honours)
2002 Monash University - PhD in General Mathematics

Solo Exhibitions
2013 Female Dialogues, Trocadero Art Space, Footscray, VIC
2011 Climate Laboratory, Off the Kerb Gallery, Collingwood, VIC
Climate Cycles, Melbourne Fringe Festival
Group Exhibitions
2023 Banksia Circles Outdoor Installation, The ‘Dear Agnes’ Contemporary Art Project, Truganina Explosives Reserve, Hobson’s Bay City Council
2013 Linden Gallery Postcard Show, Linden Centre for Contemporary Arts, St Kilda
2012 Chrysalis Poetry and Art Event (Featuring my Animation Work), Trinity College, Parkville
2011 Entry 20:11, Brunswick Arts, Brunswick Process Emergent, At the Vanishing Point – Contemporary Art, Newtown, NSW
2010 NSW Nuclear Freeways Fundraiser, Mori Gallery, Sydney, NSW
Selected SCA Group Show, Coffs Harbour Regional Gallery, Coffs Harbour, NSW
2009 Palm Awards Finalists Exhibition, Verge Gallery, Camperdown, NSW
Bucket Annual Fundraiser, MOP Projects, Chippendale, NSW
2008 DVD Killed the Video Star, At the Vanishing Point – Contemporary Art, Newtown, NSW