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Hank Willis Thomas

Thomas works across sculpture, photography, film and other media, examining identity and the role of images and monuments in public life.

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Image from the artist / work source for Hank Willis Thomas
Image: hankwillisthomas.com ↗©2026 Hank Willis Thomas. All Rights Reserved. (as credited at source)

At a glance

Practice
public sculpture, photography, interdisciplinary art
Based in
Not documented
Profile
individual
Project participation
Not documented; confirm with the artist, studio or estate.

Research notes for project planning

What the project record tells us

Public art and civic dialogue · Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

All Power to All People: a public monument and institutional collection

Thomas’s project page describes the work’s combination of an Afro pick and raised fist as symbols of Black identity and empowerment. It was created for Monument Lab, curated by Paul M. Farber and Ken Lum and produced by Mural Arts Philadelphia. The artist records its subsequent acquisition by the Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts.

Hank Willis Thomas — All Power to All People ↗ · Reviewed 2026-09-25

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How should the commissioning process connect the artwork’s symbolism with the community it addresses?

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Civic memorial · Boston, Massachusetts

The Embrace: a memorial with a documented public process

The City of Boston credits Hank Willis Thomas and MASS Design Group with The Embrace and the 1965 Freedom Plaza, unveiled in January 2023. Its account records public comments, feasibility review, design approvals and fabrication at Walla Walla Foundry. The bronze sculpture and surrounding plaza show why memorial delivery involves more than the object itself.

City of Boston — The Embrace and 1965 Freedom Plaza ↗ · Reviewed 2026-09-25

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Which community, design, heritage and site approvals should be built into the project timeline?

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The documented work

Art out in the world.

1 artwork reference · availability unconfirmed

Image from the project source for All Power to All People
Image: hankwillisthomas.com ↗©2026 Hank Willis Thomas. All Rights Reserved. (as credited at source)
unknown

All Power to All People ↗

Hank Willis Thomas

public sculpture / version unresolved

Project details & references
Year / version
2017 Philadelphia version; gallery version unconfirmed
Project context
Monument Lab, Thomas Paine Plaza, Philadelphia, 2017; PAFA record for the 2017 object
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Further reading

Selected work references

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Documented disciplines include public sculpture, photography, interdisciplinary art.

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How much does a large-scale sculpture project cost? ↗How to commission public art: from brief to paid artist selection ↗

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