The Genius Next Door: Media artist Tony Cokes recontextualizes history through mixed-media video installations

Tony Cokes, a professor of modern culture and media at Brown University, is transforming the moving image to shine new light on some of history’s darkest moments. By using text, music, found footage, journalistic writing and more, Cokes recontextualizes traumatic moments in American history and creates video-based artwork.  He is one of three local MacArthur “Genius” grant awardees, and the final installment of our annual series, “The Genius Next Door.”