With an often humorous edge, Cole’s assemblage sculptures combine elements drawn from African American history with contemporary consumer culture. In the mid-1980s the artist began to use the steam iron as a printmaking device, stamping decorative patterns onto surfaces ranging from canvas and paper to mattress padding and plaster. In early 1990s works like Domestic ID IV, Cole incorporated a variety of irons that, in their identifying branding, evoke distinct tribal associations. He then labeled each scorch with a commercial brand name to encourage this interpretation, ironically suggesting the “tribes” of Silex, General Electric, or Sunbeam.
Gallery label from 2023