Flo Fox passed away on March 2nd, 2025 at home after a long illness. Meryl Meisler sent us those texts and this portfolio of images.
Being visually impaired was only a small portion of the disabling chronic-progressive illness of multiple sclerosis that Flo Fox endured. She became an advocate for the disabled, built curb cut ramps when needed, blocked buses before they were modified with wheelchair lifts, and protested where-ever places were inaccessible. But, whatever crippling effects she had, Flo Fox managed to keep busy taking negative and making it positive, both in life and in work.
Flo Fox Eulogy
Flo Fox was born Florence Blossom Fox in Miami beach, Florida on sept. 26th 1945. Her parents Paul Louis Fox and Claire Sarah Bauer only lived there for a couple of years. Her father went there to start a honey factory, but he died from a heart attack at age 38, when little Floie was just 2 years old. Her mother then took her 3 daughters and pregnant stomach back to her apartment in woodside queens. Her family would sometimes visit their grand-parents that lived on southern boulevard in the bronx. Grandpa fox was a tailor and had a big sewing room where flo picked up scraps of fabric and learned to sew.
Flo’s mother got cancer when flo was 9 years old and died when she was 14. After 9th grade graduation in 1959, flo fox packed up and left home where she got her real education on the streets of new york city. Wherever flo went, she found pieces of paper and wrote poetry after months of searching, Flo’s aunt and uncle, Loretta and dave bauer, found her and took her to live with her brother and two cousins on long island where they cleaned up her act. They bought her oil paints and she found new creativity. Flo’s other talents included, candle making, sculpture in many forms.
At ages eighteen, marriage and motherhood came simultaneously. The marriage lasted 10 years but friendship with her son remained. Flo’s main man was her music. Every night she went to bed with rhythm and blues, rock ‘n roll, sometimes gospel, sometimes soul.
Flo’s talent at sewing became her career, first costume making for Joseph Papp then clothing for television commercials and in the Sunday New York Times Magazine.
When Flo’s marriage ended, she invested all her time and money into a camera and film.
A reportage, “street photographer” since 1972, Flo Fox’s work has been published and exhibited in galleries and museums internationally. Her work was published in books and magazines, including “Life” magazine. Photography became her existence and she had the freedom and good fortune for extensive travel. Flo took over 180,000 photographic images and subjects varied, but tended toward the “ironic reality.”
Many people will remember Flo for her generosity, always giving and never asking for much in return.
Flo Fox taught the first class for blind and visually impaired students at the lighthouse for the blind in 1979. “asphalt gardens” (69 photographs by flo fox) is a book of her street images that was published in 1981.
Being visually impaired was only a small portion of the disabling cronic-progressive illness of multiple sclerosis that ms. Fox endured. She became an advocate for the disabled, built curb cut ramps when needed, blocked busses before they were modified with wheelchair lifts, and protested where- ever places were inaccessible. But, whatever crippling effects she had, Flo Fox managed to keep busy taking the negative and making it positive, both in life and in work.
For over 30 years Flo Fox photographed graffiti and any artwork that people left to sustain their memory. Now in death, Flo requests that you leave your signature, initials, tag or graffiti mark on her coffin.
Just as Flo was always truthful, I will have to be right now: I wrote this whole eulogy myself when I discovered I got cancer in 2005 and am living in blissful overtime. I believe when I am buried I will be one with the earth. I don’t believe in any god or larger than life being and that I wont return like Jesus or Houdini. My only way of returning will be in the thoughts of people thinking of me.
Music –
One More Day by Diamond Rio
What a Wonderful World by Louis Armstrong
It’s So Hard To Say Goodbye To Yesterday by Boyz II Men
Biography
A reportage, “street photographer” since 1972, i have shot over 180,000 images; subjects vary; but tend toward the “ironic reality”. In NYC, my work was shown at the Nikon House, iBM Gallery, and is in the permanent collection of the Brooklyn Museum. Images have also been published and exhibited internationally, from the Smithsonian to South America, Europe & Japan.
My book “Asphalt Gardens, 69 photos by Flo Fox” was published in 1981 and is now sold out. The “Up In Smoke” collection, 11 photos, was published in “Life” magazine, sept. 1994 and my work was in a two-person exhibit with “Weegee The Famous” in Paris, France, 1987. I was also an advocate for the disabled and taught the first photography class for blind and visually impaired students at the Lighthouse For The Blind in 1979.
Though visually impaired and physically challenged due to chronic-progressive multiple sclerosis I am in a motorized wheel chair. I never go anywhere without my camera. And I have to direct friends, attendants or people in the street to take pictures for me.
Photography is my existence and covers all aspects of being a single woman/artist in New York City. I also had the freedom and good fortune for extensive travel.
www.flofox.com
