Photo By Gail

In his body of work, Hank Willis Thomas (b. 1976) spotlights the impact of mass criminalization on Black communities in the United States. In Strike (2018), Thomas represents the cyclical violence and resistance inherent in the way Black communities are policed.

Strike is a powerful stainless-steel sculpture that features two disembodied arms emerging from the ground. One arm raises a police baton, while the other grasps it, symbolizing an act of resistance or being trapped in perpetual confrontation.  The work reflects themes of conflict and justice, drawing inspiration from Louis Lozowick’s 1934 lithograph Strike Scene.

By reinterpreting this historical imagery, Thomas comments on ongoing struggles for equality and the dynamics of power, particularly in the context of protest and law enforcement.

This sculpture embodies the artist’s broader practice of merging art and social critique, using symbolic forms to provoke dialogue about racial injustice and systemic inequality. While this edition of the sculpture is part of a private collection, the piece has been exhibited in spaces that challenge traditional Western figurative art’s exclusivity, aligning with Thomas’s commitment to fostering inclusivity and critical reflection in public and civic spaces.

Photographed in the Brooklyn Museum as Part of the Exhibit Giants: Art From The Dean Collection.