Honey Lingam, 1987-2004, Black Indian basalt
This piece has been composed and reworked over the last 10 years, always present in Cox’s studio, almost waiting for its own time. In India the lingam is a revered and ever present form as the phallus of Shiva, but it is also present in day to day life, and certain stones used for grinding and cooking have this distinctive shape. Cox was fascinated by how in India carved stones take on an organic aspect, whether through domestic use or in rituals as carvings of deities are often washed, dressed and oiled. Cox’s own use of oil confers the sculpture a degree of immediacy, intimacy and spirituality.