EXHIBITION

Barbara Earl Thomas: The Illuminated Body

Barbara Earl Thomas’ most recent series of portraits weave an exquisite tapestry of light and color to depict individuals illuminated in moments of creativity. Invoking the history of portraiture, Thomas’ nine large-scale cut paper pieces celebrate great Black cultural icons such as August Wilson, Seth Parker Woods, and Charles Johnson, alongside Thomas’ friends, family, and acquaintances. Set in contexts ranging from public performance to the quiet of daydreaming, they honor the creative spark in all its manifestations. Thomas describes her subjects with nuance and care, encouraging extended viewing of these vibrant and layered portraits. The portraits are presented with The Transformation Room, a luminous installation created from light and intricately cut Tyvek, which offers a moment of respite for reflection and inspiration.

The Illuminated Body is the first time the work of this celebrated artist, writer, and thinker will be seen in Philadelphia. A visual storyteller for over 40 years, Thomas draws from history, literature, folklore, mythology, and the Bible to reflect the social fabric of our times. Her narrative and figurative imagery has a deep philosophical and emotional force, leveraging the powerful imagery of light and dark. Thomas’ most recent commissions include six major stained-glass windows for Grace Hopper College at Yale University, a 33-panel commission for the façade of the Central Courthouse of Multnomah County in Portland, and a large-scale glass commission for the Judkins Park Light Rail Station in Seattle.

Event

Lightbox: An Illuminated Lecture by Marisa Williamson

A lightbox illuminates from behind. It makes objects and images visible in high contrast that might otherwise go unseen. This illuminated lecture by performance artist, Marisa Williamson, engages literally and conceptually with this form in order to highlight the influence of Barbara Earl Thomas and others on what is visible to us today.

The commission responds to Thomas’ exhibition, The Illuminated Body, at Arthur Ross Gallery and Re(Focus), a multi-venue exhibition festival celebrating the 50th anniversary of the first major exhibition featuring American women artists mounted in 1974.

Marisa Williamson is a project-based artist who grew up in Philadelphia. She works in video, image-making, installation and performance around themes of history, race, feminism, and technology. Her work has been featured in exhibitions throughout the US, as well as Rome, Berlin, Switzerland, and Buenos Aires. She was a participant in the Skowhegan School of Painting & Sculpture in 2012 and the Whitney Museum’s Independent Study Program in 2014-2015. Williamson holds a BA from Harvard University and an MFA from CalArts. She is an Assistant Professor of Visual Art at the University of Virginia with a research focus on Blackness.