Embroidered X-Rays by Matthew Cox

Philadelphia-based artist Matthew Cox swirls together contradictions in his latest series, Embroidered X-Rays. Weaving embroidery thread into plastic, skeletal slides, Cox’s collection provides an odd juxtaposition, both visually and conceptually, the vibrant colors and familiar characters setting a playful mood while the X-rays remain cold and clinical.

”Stitching has a nurturing aspect,” Cox has said of his work, “and acts as care giving or healing to the injured, a socially feminine sort of action, while the X-ray itself can be considered masculine and unemotional.” The intricately made collection not only includes original embroidered portraits, but pop-culture ones as well, with David Bowie, Snow White, and Miss Piggy grafted onto chest X-rays. Examine some of Cox’s most fascinating pieces after the jump.