WHAT WE KNOW

The title of the show alludes to both the 1987 hit song by Janet Jackson, and the 1920 landmark essay by Sigmund Freud. It references Thomas’ personal, artistic, and political intentions while also acknowledging the intersection of influences and techniques in her works. The show is part of an international exhibition across four of Lévy Gorvy’s spaces in New York, London, Paris, and Hong Kong this autumn. Six new mixed-media paintings from the artist’s ‘Tête de Femme’ series are presented in Hong Kong, and they are complex contemporary interpretations of both the Cubist motif and the Pop Art sensibility – employing the formal techniques developed by Pablo Picasso and George Braque, and the aesthetic qualities of magazine cover models transformed into art by artists such as Andy Warhol and Tom Wesselmann. By referencing the work of 20th century masters, Thomas roots herself firmly within the history of art, and questions the true origin of modernist techniques.

WHY WE LOVE IT

The show is part of an international exhibition unfolding across Lévy Gorvy’s other spaces in New York, London, and Paris this autumn. This series specifically recalls Picasso’s ‘Tête de femme (Fernande)’ (1909–10), which was produced during the Picasso’s African period, where his encounter with African sculptures, masks, and artifacts inspired some of his most iconic works. Presented uniquely for Hong Kong, the exhibition also includes a video made in collaboration with her life partner, Racquel Chevremont. More importantly, over the past 20 years the issues that Thomas addresses resonate stronger than ever – the power and desirability of black women, and their presence, imprint, and legacy in visual culture.