Hank Willis Thomas Lecture

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Acting strongly within the situationist traditions of Détournement, the appropriating of images and symbols for the use of turning them back upon their related producers and proponents (such as corporations, governments, advertising campaigns, etc), Hank Willis Thomas creates biting work that serves to examine the relationship between Black Identity and corporate advertising. Much of Thomas' work could be identified as adbusting, a practice that has gained in popularity since the early 80's. In one work Thomas, takes the form of a Mastercard ad, introducing his own image from the funeral of his cousin who was killed by a youths mugging him for his gold chain. The work takes a commonly recognizable form and introduces to it text and imagery that asks the viewer to interpret the relationship between the text image and appropriated form. In handling often uncomfortable and brutal images and subject matter Thomas seems to maintain an element of humor in the process. A point that was very apparent in the lecture, and evident in his demeanor. What is most successful about his work, whatever form it takes, is Thomas' ability to cut right through the sheen of advertising and reveal the problems of authenticity and racism that lay just under the surface. I was surprised to learn that outside of one minor incident Thomas has never had issues with the companies who's advertising he appropriates. Often in my own work perhaps I have been unnecessarily concerned with possible legal issues surrounding the use of logos and appropriation of advertising or broadcast work. From the lecture I definitely gained a sense that one can be both bold and subtle at the same time when handling such controversial subject matter.