HANK WILLIS THOMAS: KINSHIP OF THE SOUL
Pace is pleased to present Kinship of the Soul, Hank Willis Thomas’s second solo exhibition with the gallery.
November 20 – December 21, 2024
The presentation showcases a new body of retroreflective collages that continue Thomas’s exploration of the histories of abstraction through the lenses of colonization, globalization, and appropriation, with reference to Romare Bearden, Aaron Douglas, and Henri Matisse. These works, which reveal latent images depending on their lighting and the viewer’s perspective, underscore Thomas’s interest in using wayfinding materials to illuminate often overlooked histories and narratives.
Known for his conceptual work across various media—including sculpture, screen printing, photography, video, and installation—Thomas thoughtfully examines subjects related to mass media, popular culture, consumerism, and identity. He is deeply engaged in both the construction and consumption of images, employing nuanced perspectives to inject meaning across his œuvre.
The exhibition’s title —Kinship of the Soul—is borrowed from novelist and storyteller Isaac Bashevis Singer. Documentary filmmaker Ken Burns has described Singer’s phrase as capturing “that indefinable something that connects all of us together.” The new works that Thomas will present in London often reveal a sea of faces drawn from archival images of historical protests worldwide, humanizing movements for social change and emphasizing the intimate scale of the forces driving them. For this body of work, Thomas has incorporated collaged images from his ongoing photo and archival research, along with protest material specific to the UK. By capturing and intertwining moments of historical unease and protest across the UK, Thomas integrates them into his larger global dialogue, with the location of the exhibition serving as a vital component in his exploration of interconnected struggles worldwide.
Thomas’s retroreflective works serve as both a personal record of his artistic process and an ongoing dialogue with the historical references that weave through his practice.