In a dramatic re-envisioning of the signing of the United States Constitution, artist Renee Cox features glamorous and exciting men and women of color in place of the Founding Fathers. “The Signing,” on view now at the Boca Raton Museum of Art, celebrates the contributions of Black Americans throughout the country’s history, which often go unrecognized.
The photograph is a reinterpretation of Howard Chandler Christy’s famous historical painting, “Scene at the Signing of the Constitution of the United States.”
Eleven of the Constitution’s signers owned slaves, including George Washington, according to the U.S. National Park Service. After centuries of papering over the contributions of Black (and often enslaved) Americans, this artwork is indicative of the current social push in the U.S. to recognize (and, in some cases, pay reparations) to the Black community.
“This work aims to unleash the potential of the ordinary and bring it into a new realm of possibilities,” Cox said. “It’s about time we re-imagine our own constitutions.”
The work’s subjects are decked out in a variety of fashionable styles, some current, others in period clothing and some in traditional African garb.
“‘The Signing’ was created on a grand scale and in the tradition of history painting,” said Kathleen Goncharov, senior curator at the Boca Raton Museum of Art. “This is a revisionist look at one of America’s most historic events — the founding of the nation.”
In addition to being an artist and photographer, Cox is a political activist. Born in Jamaica, she is currently based in New York City. She has dedicated her career to the celebration of Black womanhood and deconstructing stereotypes, she said.
“The image brings to light that although people of color did not participate in the signing of the Constitution, they have most certainly played important roles and made vital contributions to the building of this country,” Goncharov continued. “Museum visitors are encouraged to acknowledge that people of color have been largely left out of history books.”
