The Gold Dust Twins
Hank Willis Thomas

The Gold Dust Twins, 2010; Print
Courtesy of the artist

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'All Things Being Equal'

Hank Willis Thomas at Goodman Gallery Cape

Hank Willis Thomas utilizes the visual language and terminology of mass media, appropriating symbols and images from popular culture to question and subvert established definitions and positions with regards to personal identity and the narrative of race. His work explores the way in which race and 'blackness' are not only informed but deliberately shaped by various forces, from colonialism and slavery, to contemporary media and advertising, and the way in which economic concerns influence the representation of race.

In 'All Things Being Equal' the artist explores the differences between South African and African-American blackness, bringing together recent works that explore the legacy of slavery and colonialism, segregation and apartheid. He employs subversive visual strategies to disrupt superficial notions of likeness and to find value in particularity rather than comparison.

02 September - 02 October