Hank Willis Thomas is a conceptual artist working primarily with themes related to perspective, identity, commodity, media, and popular culture. Select collaborative projects include Question Bridge: Black Males and For Freedoms. Thomas’s public art practice spans permanent artworks, including The Embrace (2023) in Boston.

Thomas holds a B.F.A. from NYU (1998) and an M.A./M.F.A. from the CCA (2004). He received an honorary doctorate from Massachusetts College of Art and Design (2025), CCA (2024), the Maryland Institute of Art, Baltimore, and the Institute for Doctoral Studies in the Visual Arts (2017). Thomas was the 2022 U.S. Department of State Medal of Arts honoree.

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Thomas’ soccer ball sculpture Goooooooaaaaal will be auctioned at Christie’s, with all proceeds benefiting the artist as well as the arts nonprofits ARTS 14C and Studio in a School. 

Link to Christie’s auction.