"Hank Willis Thomas and Deborah Willis" Conversation and Book Signing
Aperture Gallery
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Aperture presents an intimate and thoughtful discussion between mother and son -- Hank Willis Thomas and Deborah Willis — who will talk about their work, influences, and artistic collaborations.
Hank Willis Thomas (born in Plainfield, New Jersey, 1976), winner of the first Aperture West Book Prize and one of art photography's rising stars, has just released his first monograph Pitch Blackness (Aperture, November 2008). With his characteristic sharpness and dark humor, the series in the book raise complex questions about identity and race in America. Hank Willis Thomas first gained wide recognition for his highly provocative series B®ANDED, which addresses how commercial branding in America is geared toward specific racial groups and raises questions about visual culture, the power of logos, and media representation of African Americans. Other series include Winter In America, a collaborative work with Kambui Olujimi, focusing on the epidemic of black on black violence in America, and his most recent body of work, "Unbranded: Reflections in Black by Corporate America," where the artist appropriates magazine advertisements that are marketed to an African American audience or feature black subjects, and strips away all the logos and text, leaving the image to speak for itself. Thomas's work is now appearing in numerous group exhibitions around the country. On February 12, 2009, a solo show of his work from this book will open at the Jack Shainman Gallery in New York City.
Acclaimed photographer, scholar, and curator, Deborah Willis is currently Chair and Professor of Photography and Imaging at Tisch School of the Arts at New York University. Willis is the curator of 1968: Then and Now exhibition at New York University's Tisch School of the Arts, featuring photographs, paintings, installations, and videos by 50 artists who have transformed our understanding of identity, resistance, war, and peace over the past forty years. Featured Aperture artists include: Bruce Davidson, Stephen Shames, and Carrie Mae Weems.
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Schedule
November 11, 2008 from 18:30