Thomas, Hank Willis

IN THE GALLERY

Hank Willis Thomas’ Branded series depicts the bodies of African-American men literally branded with a Nike logo. The muscular men bearing the scarred Nike swoosh—an international symbol of strength, freedom, and victory—evoke slavery as well as actual Nike advertisements. They become symbolic of the complex dualities of history and identity, explicitly connecting the brand to its original function as a symbol of ownership and control. Now the brand has become a catalyst for purchasing a sense of identity in a society where cultural belonging has become ever more intertwined with the politics of consumption. The work proposes the urgency of developing alternative modes of identification.

Branded Head 2003

Lambda photograph, digital C-print; Edition: 1/3

99” x 52”

Courtesy Beth Rudin DeWoody