Hank Willis Thomas: LOVERULES - From the Collections of Jordan D. Schnitzer and His Family Foundation
Following Hank Willis Thomas’ first Los Angeles exhibition, An All Colored Class (2020), at Kayne Griffin Corcoran Gallery, I advised and facilitated the acquisition of the title work An All Colored Cast for the Jordan Schnitzer Family Foundation. This visit turned out to be one of our last gallery trips before the COVID-19 shutdown. During the summer of the pandemic, I worked closely with Jack Shainman and his team to assemble a comprehensive collection of 152 works by Thomas, spanning 2002–2022. I also advised the acquisition of several other new works, including a one ton bronze version of Embrace, 2022.
In alignment with the Foundation’s mission to create a teaching collection accessible to museums nationwide, I curated the checklist and exhibition concept for a major survey of Thomas’ work, which I subsequently contracted to open at two important university art museums. I also organized the outdoor installation of Thomas’ 30-foot neon sculpture Love Rules, further expanding the Foundation’s engagement with public art. The first iteration of the survey opened at the Henry Art Gallery, Seattle (February 24–July 21, 2024), organized by Curator Shamim Momin, and later traveled to the University of Arizona Museum of Art, Tucson (January 18–June 21, 2025), organized by the Director, Olivia Miller.