"Grant Wood and the Paradox of Art for Everybody,” by Joe Coffey

Joe Coffey is a Chicago-based writer who examines Grant Wood’s legacy through a dual lens of journalistic storytelling and critical cultural analysis. With a background in television news and a Master’s in Journalism & Mass Communication from the University of Iowa, his work is informed by both a reporter’s eye for narrative and a scholar’s engagement with cultural context. His connection to the material is also personal: for nearly two decades, he lived in Cedar Rapids neighborhoods central to Wood’s world. Coffey has written on various facets of Wood’s life and art, from his connections to figures like Byron McKeeby to his intersections with music and literature. Coffey is the creator behind the 'Grant Wood Stories' video series on TikTok.