Artist Hank Willis Thomas outside Seattle’s Henry Art Gallery, where his exhibition “LOVERULES” runs through Aug. 4. (Credits Erika Schultz / The Seattle Times)
Alumn Hank Willis Thomas featured in the article of Seattle Times for his LOVERULES – Solo Exhibition opening at the Henry Art Gallery.
The Henry Art Gallery is currently hosting an exhibition showcasing the works of Hank, spanning two decades from 2002 to 2022. Featuring 90 pieces sourced from the Jordan D. Schnitzer Family Foundation collection, the exhibition delves into various themes across different media, displaying some of Thomas's most renowned artworks. Among the highlighted series are "Branded" and "Unbranded: Reflections in Black by Corporate America." In "Branded," Thomas examines the history of brand advertising and sponsorship through sports iconography, while "Unbranded" digitally removes advertising elements to emphasize the dehumanizing strategies of corporate media and the commodification of African-American identity. These series shed light on dominant cultural tropes and their impact on perceptions of race and race relations.
"It’s a powerful gathering of work from a brilliant artist and a not-to-be-missed opportunity to experience a range of materials and forms that incisively question how advertisements, consumerism and popular culture convey and define values, perpetuate bias and inequity, and shape identities, particularly within race and gender."
"While conceptual art has been around for a long time, Thomas’ deft mix of astute criticality with inviting accessibility — applied to some of the most important topics of our time — has led to national and international acclaim, numerous exhibitions, public art works (including “The Embrace,” his sculpture in honor of Martin Luther King Jr. and Coretta Scott King unveiled in Boston in 2022), and prestigious awards (including the Gordon Parks Foundation Fellowship, the Aimia | AGO Photography Prize and the Guggenheim Fellowship)."