Cincinnati – Cedric Michael Cox

Charismata is a solo exhibition of new work by regionally and nationally recognized artist Cedric Michael Cox at Xavier University. Charismata, which is a Latin term for spiritual gift or gift of grace, is a colorful array of paintings that Cox began in January of 2025 fresh from his highly successful exhibitions at Eisele Gallery and Studio Kroner in 2024. The core body of works in Charismata features over 20 new large-scale paintings that boldly capture his diverse subjects catapulted in his unique blend of surrealism and representational abstraction. His whimsical rhythmic forms that create prisms of passion are now fully expressed in various genres. From narrative still life paintings of fantastical botanicals with aspiring messages to mid-century cubist-inspired compositional clusters of musical instruments, Cox invites us into his studio with every stroke. The lyrical landscapes and cityscapes from his Vivid Village and Combined Community series, along with his ever-evolving interpretation of the resilient human spirit through abstraction, offer the viewer something new with every piece. The exhibition also features figurative pieces that were inspired by his residency at Frederick Douglass Academy. These paintings pay tribute to the people who welcomed him with open arms and supported him early in his career, who stood as monuments in the legacy of Cincinnati art history. “My paintings are an inner reflection of the people, places, and objects that surround my everyday life. I do this by creating rhythmic, anatomically inspired renderings that tell my story through abstraction.“ With my art, I intend for the personal to become universal among all groups of people, as we celebrate individual freedom, find our likenesses, and harmonize our differences.” Charismata will also showcase career highlights with paintings and drawings from his Ascending Horizons exhibition at the Weston Art Gallery in 2010, and Color and Rhythm exhibition at the Taft Museum of Art in 2017. During the course of Charismata at Xavier University, Cox participated in student critique alongside faculty and gallery talks.