Cross disciplinary artist Thomas J. Price (b. 1981) confronts preconceived attitudes towards representation and identity, foregrounding the intrinsic value of the individual and subverting structures of hierarchy. Celebrated for his large-scale figurative sculptures, Price draws our attention to the psychological embodiment of his fictional characters, highlighting nuanced understandings of social signifiers and predetermined value. Drawing from multiple sources, the works are developed through a hybrid approach of traditional sculpting and digital technologies. Price balances methods of presentation, material and scale to challenge our expectations and provide cues for deeper human connection.
The work Grounded in the Stars (2024) included in the exhibition, depicts a full-figured representation of a fictionalized Black woman dressed in leisure attire with braided locks of hair. The female subject stands on a plinth in a calm, everyday pose, which contrasts with ideals of how subjects are often glorified in monumental, sculptural form. The serene expression on her face invites guests to reexamine their own culturally coded perceptions, interrogating how we are seen, understood and valued. In extension of this exploration and Price’s wider conceptual practice, a new painting will also be included, made as part of Price’s residency at the Joyner/Giuffrida Collection. Together, the works explore themes of presence and connection.
Thomas J. Price lives and works in London, UK. He studied at Chelsea College of Art and the Royal College of Art in London. The artist will have his first solo exhibition in New York, entitled Resilience of Scale, at Hauser & Wirth in April through June this year. Concurrently, a large-scale, 12-foot bronze sculpture of Grounded in the Stars (2023) will appear in Times Square in New York City shown in tandem with the artist’s Man Series, six video animations that will be displayed on surrounding billboards as part of the Times Square Art Midnight Moment program.
Sponsors
Pamela Joyner and Fred Giuffrida
