Christopher Cote

Christopher Cote serves as Assistant Professor in the School of Design at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville's College of Architecture and Design. His academic work interrogates graphic design's role in public discourse through unconventional publishing formats and participatory installations.

Education:

• Master of Fine Arts in Graphic Design, Rhode Island School of Design, 2019
• Bachelor of Arts in History and International Studies, University of Washington, 2008

Research Focus: Cote's practice subverts traditional design dissemination by transforming public spaces into interactive publishing platforms. His methodology examines cultural norms through audience participation, deliberately blurring distinctions between creators and consumers. The ongoing project All—Ways—Open exemplifies this approach, revitalizing historical visual archives by using images as generative prompts for collaborative writing and visual reinterpretation.

Professional Impact: By challenging conventional gallery-based exhibition models, Cote expands design's accessibility and societal relevance. His work demonstrates how context-aware publishing strategies can democratize creative engagement while critically analyzing power structures embedded in visual communication systems.