The Cincinnati Art Museum is opening a multimedia mid-career survey of artist Hank Willis Thomas’ work on Sept. 4 — a show originally slated to open July 10 but one that was pushed back because of COVID-19.
Hank Willis Thomas: All Things Being Equal… features two decades’ worth of Thomas’ work exploring how “the visual languages of popular culture, advertising and media shape society and individual perspective, structuring and trading upon notions of race and gender,” says the CAM.
The 90 works in the exhibit, organized by the Portland Art Museum, span from photography and sculpture to video and include textile pieces that reclaim prison uniforms and athletic jerseys, neon signs with message about race, lifelike sculptures that range from bronzeworks to colorful silicone and fiberglass and more.
Thomas’ work turns a critical eye to social justice and how race plays into advertising and pop culture, making this an imperative exhibit to view in the context of the current swell and fight against systemic racism.
“Hank Willis Thomas’ work guides us to the meeting points of art, politics, commerce and justice while affirming human joy and the role of art in grasping our shared humanity,” says Nathaniel Stein, the CAM’s Associate Curator of Photography. “There is no more important artist for us to pay attention to today, and none with whom the museum and our community partners could be more honored to grapple with history, rise to the present, and imagine a possible future.”
“Living through 2020 with this project has been a profound experience. I hope people of Greater Cincinnati will join museum staff and our community partners in giving Thomas’ work its fullest meaning for here — for now and for what comes next,” he continues.
Thomas’ work was also on view at the CAM during 2016’s 30 Americans show, including the above Branded Head image.
The CAM will be the final stop for All Things Being Equal… The show runs through Nov. 8.
Opening weekend for All Things Being Equal… is free for everyone, Friday, Sept. 4-Sunday, Sept. 6. After that, the exhibit is free for members; tickets are available online and cost $10 for non-member adults and $5 for non-member students, seniors and children.
Even though opening weekend is free, reserved tickets — with timed entry — are still required to ensure social distancing and capacity limits. Those are available online as well.
Thomas will be available for an “Ask Hank” virtual Q&A, streaming on the Cincinnati Art Museum’s Facebook page 6:30-7:30 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 3 at facebook.com/cincinnatiartmuseum. Questions can be pre-submitted for Thomas here; see event page for more.
The CAM will have additional digital experiences related to the exhibit available to participate in, with details at cincinnatiartmuseum.org/hankwillisthomas.
Hank Willis Thomas: All Things Being Equal… runs Sept. 4-Nov. 8. Tickets are required for non-members. The Cincinnati Art Museum is located at 953 Eden Park Drive, Mount Adams/Eden Park. For more info, including COVID safety measures, visit cincinnatiartmuseum.org.
This article appears in The Burger Issue 2020.