Hank Willis Thomas Exhibition: "Believe It"
Jan. 19 – Mar. 30, 2012
La Galerie Pfriem | Rue Saint-Trophime, Lacoste,
Jun. 08 – Aug. 24, 2012
Pinnacle Gallery | 320 E. Liberty St., Savannah, Ga.
The SCAD exhibitions department presents "Believe It," a selection of works by artist Hank Willis Thomas from his 2010 "Fair Warning" series. In this recent body of work, Thomas highlights the visual dynamics of cigarette ads aimed at an African American audience, and specifically African American women, who historically have been disproportionately targeted by the tobacco industry.
The images in "Fair Warning" are re-appropriated by Thomas, who has removed the ad logos while maintaining only snippets of the original text. This manipulation, in turn, transforms the intention of the image when juxtaposed with the models' nonchalant hand gestures sans cigarettes. It urges a re-consideration of the depiction of blackness that is being marketed by the original ads.
The exhibition also feature several lenticular pieces that continue Thomas' "play" on words and meanings that remain open for interpretation.
La Galerie Pfriem
Presented as part of the
2012 deFINE ART program
Artist talk: 1:30 p.m., Saturday, Feb. 25, Maison Forte
Reception: 6-8 p.m., Saturday, Feb. 25
Gallery hours: 9 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., Monday through Friday
Pinnacle Gallery
Gallery hours:
- Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.
- Saturday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
- Sunday, 1-4 p.m.
Exhibitions and receptions are free and open to the public.