Harbour Arts Sculpture Park is proud to present Hank Willis Thomas “The Truth Is ...”, in a series of workshops and talk dedicated to promoting our educational programme. For his first exhibition in Asia, Hank Willis Thomas will present “Ernest and Ruth” and “Truth Bubble Sign Tree,” two public sculptures which emphasize the themes of history, politics, identity and popular culture that underlie his overall conceptually based practice which spans photography, installation, and sculpture. His practice seeks to further explore the commodification of identity through advertisements and remind viewers that cultural tropes continue to shape the notions of race. Designed around two of Thomas’ collaborative projects, “In Search of the Truth” and “Question Bridge”, this workshop will invite participants to investigate the relationship between people and their respective cities, their society and the community. These projects which have invited community participation in South Africa, Australia, Afghanistan, Ireland, and the United States. At the Harbour Arts Sculpture Park, participants will join in these collaborative works of art, through photography and interview questions, and think more critically about their individual notions of identity. The workshop has been divided into TWO sessions – on 20 and 23 February 2018. Admission is free and participants are required to attend both sessions. The workshop will be conducted primarily in English, with interpretation provided into Cantonese as needed. “The Truth Is ...” Workshop Date: February 20, 2018 and February 23, 2018 Time: 10:30am – 12:30pm Venue: Form Society (G/F, 186 Tai Nam Street, Sham Shui Po, Kowloon) Capacity: 20 For ages 16 or above. Free admission on a first-come, first-served basis. Online Registration: http://www.hkaconlineregistration.com/event.php?lang=&en=Mzkz Hank Willis Thomas – Artist Talk Date: February 20, 2018 Time: 8pm – 9:30pm Venue: McAulay Studio, Hong Kong Arts Centre (2 Harbour Road, Wan Chai, Hong Kong) Language: English Quota: 70 Free admission on a first-come, first-served basis. Online Registration: http://www.hkaconlineregistration.com/event.php?lang=&en=Mzk2 Artist Information HANK WILLIS THOMAS is a conceptual artist working primarily with themes related to identity, history and popular culture. His work has been exhibited throughout the U.S. and abroad including, the International Center of Photography, Guggenheim Museum Bilbao, Musée du quai Branly, and the Cleveland Museum of Art. Thomas’ work is in numerous public collections including the Museum of Modern Art New York, the Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum, the Whitney Museum of American Art, the Brooklyn Museum, the High Museum of Art and the National Gallery of Art in Washington DC, among others. His collaborative projects include Question Bridge: Black Males, In Search Of The Truth (The Truth Booth), and For Freedoms. For Freedoms was recently awarded the 2017 ICP Infinity Award for New Media and Online Platform. Thomas is also the recipient of the 2017 Soros Equality Fellowship and the 2017 AIMIA | AGO Photography Prize. Current exhibitions include Prospect 4: The Lotus in Spite of the Swamp in New Orleans and All Things Being Equal at Zeitz Museum of Contemporary Art Africa. In 2017, Thomas also unveiled his permanent public artwork Love Over Rules in San Francisco and All Power to All People in Opa Locka, Florida. Thomas is a member of the Public Design Commission for the City of New York. He received a BFA in Photography and Africana studies from New York University and a MFA/MA in Photography and Visual Criticism from the California College of Arts. He has also received honorary doctorates from the Maryland Institute of Art and the Institute for Doctoral Studies in the Visual Arts. Thomas lives and works in New York City. Photo caption: 1. The Truth Is I See You, 2015. Truth Tree at Metrotech Brooklyn, NY. Photo by: James Ewing 2. The Truth Is I See You, 2015. Ruth and Ernest Benches at Metrotech Brooklyn, NY. Photo by: James Ewing 3. Hank Willis Thomas. Photo by: Andrea Blanch