Hank Willis Thomas’ (b. 1976, Plainfield, NJ ) practice spans photography, sculpture, textile, and installation. Often reflecting on media representations and social justice, he utilizes pop culture iconography to question commercial consumer representation and the racial stereotypes it perpetuates. A self proclaimed “visual cultural archaeologist”, Thomas explores the way popular imagery informs how people perceive themselves in relation to others.

Over the past two decades, the artist has been celebrated for his use of retroreflective media. Concerned primarily with themes related to perspective, identity, and commodity, his multidisciplinary practice incorporates widely-recognizable material to explore how mass media reinforces generalizations about race and gender. Thomas currently lives and works in Brooklyn, New York.