Hank Willis Thomas United States, b. 1976
Everything we see hides another thing, 2021
stainless steel with mirrored finish
29.2 x 44.2 cm
11 1/2 x 17 3/8 in
11 1/2 x 17 3/8 in
Copyright The Artist
This unsettling sculpture is inspired by 'Les Amants',a series of four paintings by René Magritte from 1928. Magritte invoked the cinematic cliché of a close–up kiss but subverts our voyeuristic...
This unsettling sculpture is inspired by "Les Amants",a series of four paintings by René Magritte from 1928.
Magritte invoked the cinematic cliché of a close–up kiss but subverts our voyeuristic pleasure by shrouding the faces in cloth. The device of a draped cloth or veil to conceal a figure’s identity. This corresponds to a larger Surrealist interest in masks, disguises, and what lies beyond or beneath visible surfaces. Hank Willis Thomas' sculpture adds another dimension to the historical work, as the cloth also hides the gender and race of the two lovers.
Magritte invoked the cinematic cliché of a close–up kiss but subverts our voyeuristic pleasure by shrouding the faces in cloth. The device of a draped cloth or veil to conceal a figure’s identity. This corresponds to a larger Surrealist interest in masks, disguises, and what lies beyond or beneath visible surfaces. Hank Willis Thomas' sculpture adds another dimension to the historical work, as the cloth also hides the gender and race of the two lovers.