Exploring the Impact of Advertising and Iconography in Artistry

In the Henry Art Gallery in Seattle, there is a unique oval room filled with images of women that date back a whole century, from 1915 to 2015. The artist Hank Willis Thomas is currently highlighting a particular image in the collection: a scene of two stylish men standing on top of a cliff.

In the picture, below the men, there is a woman hanging from the peak of the cliff, suspended by a rope.

"She's Somewhat of a Drag," a 1959 advertisement Thomas repurposed in his series "Unbranded: A Century of White Women."

"She's Somewhat of a Drag," a 1959 advertisement Thomas repurposed in his series "Unbranded: A Century of White Women."

During the preview of his new show "LOVERULES," Aaron Wessling asks the group to guess what the ad is for. One person suggests sweaters, and surprisingly, they are right.

The piece is from Thomas’ largest body of work, “Unbranded: A Century of White Women.” The 2015 series, part of the “LOVERULES” exhibit, showcases 101 print adverts with logos and copy removed by Thomas. This invites viewers to confront historical portrayals of femininity and its commercialization. One such image is from a 1959 Drummond Sweaters ad in “Esquire” magazine, featuring derogatory text about women that elicits disbelief from observers at the gallery.

The “LOVERULES” exhibit weaves together Thomas’ key themes, including the influence of corporate branding, the shaping of gender and race, and the dynamics of power struggles in liberation movements. Reflecting on the lasting impact of objects designed for short-term use, Thomas poses the question, “What does it mean to look at an object that was made to have a three to six month shelf life 40 years later?” CNN interviewed Thomas about the show, delving into these thought-provoking ideas.

For those in the gallery room, seeing an image of a woman with mascara running down her eyes or another stripped of her clothing surrounded by men can be unsettling. One example is a 1963 ad for Tareyton cigarettes that seemed to make light of domestic abuse by urging customers to show "aggressive loyalty." Another troubling image shows men surrounding a woman, which could be interpreted as men preparing to sexually assault her.

Across his work, Thomas reframes iconic and mundane imagery to connect viewers to historical moments of resistance and reshape our understanding of who counts in society. Here, a pro-football player appears to face off with an enslaved cotton picker, in Thomas' work "From Cain't See in the Mornin' Til Cain't See at Night."

The artwork featured in "LOVERULES" is from the personal collection of Jordan Schnitzer, a philanthropist based in Oregon. Schnitzer has acquired 160 pieces by Thomas over the years since they first met. According to Schnitzer, artists like Hank Willis Thomas challenge us to reflect on our own beliefs. The image above shows Thomas' piece "Justice" from 2021.

Aaron Wessling/Courtesy of Jordan Schnitzer Family Foundation

In the "Unbranded" series, viewers are exposed to the underlying values of advertising, such as capitalism and how it exploits certain groups and ideas for financial gain. According to Thomas in an interview with CNN, advertising heavily influences our perceptions and expectations, often with a specific agenda in mind. For example, promoting the idea of women being inferior helped sell products like sweaters or cigarettes.

Over the past two decades, Thomas has built a reputation for challenging societal norms related to race, gender, and class in the United States. Through various forms of art, from photography to textiles, he addresses the intersections of these narratives. Whether he is juxtaposing a football player in a three-point stance with a enslaved person picking cotton in "The Cotton Bowl," or creating a maze of prison uniforms and American flag fabric in "Justice," Thomas' work effectively highlights systems of oppression and encourages us to reflect on our role within them.

“I’ve always been fascinated with how brands give us cues about our own self worth,” Thomas told CNN. His body of work work reflects the observation — and, perhaps, a warning — that we have moved toward “existing in a society of branded consciousness."

In his artwork, Thomas transforms both well-known and ordinary images to link spectators to pivotal moments of defiance and transform our perception of societal significance. In one piece titled "From Cain't See in the Mornin' Til Cain't See at Night," a professional football player is depicted in a confrontation with a cotton picker who was once enslaved.

In the series "Unbranded: Reflections in Black by Corporate America," Thomas examines how brands selectively invest in certain communities, particularly marginalized ones, for financial gain. He focuses on the corporate appropriation of Black culture, noting that corporations began to take notice around the late 1960s due to increased visibility from the Civil Rights movement. Thomas analyzed ads from 1968 to 2008, purposely ending the series with Barack Obama's election. Prior to this period, people of color were not considered a profitable demographic for marketing or representation.

Thomas explores the impact of advertisements on the perpetuation of racism and sexism in American history through his "Unbranded" series. He delves into how corporations manipulate belief systems for profit, often retracting support for certain beliefs when it affects their bottom line. This means that their commitment to social issues like queer representation or Black stories may only last as long as it benefits their sales figures.

According to Thomas, the evolution of advertising tactics, such as the use of influencers and product placement, has made the messaging even more subtle and insidious. Consumers are now exposed to advertising information without even realizing it, making it harder to discern the influence of these ads on our perceptions and beliefs.

Thomas shared with CNN his fascination with how brands can influence our perception of self-worth. His work serves as a reflection and a potential cautionary tale about the shift towards a society driven by branded consciousness.

Aaron Wessling/Courtesy of Jordan Schnitzer Family Foundation

In his series "B®anded," Thomas merges brand logos with altered photos or backdrops to explore how we are influenced by corporations. For example, an Amex card is transformed to read "The Afro-American Express" with a central photo of enslaved people on a ship. Nearby, a chest covered in scars shaped like Nike's logo represents how slaves were branded as property, and how we now brand ourselves.

Two of his works also feature reconfigurations of the classic Absolut bottle silhouette. One of these works resembles the Door of No Return, which is a symbolic gateway found in Sénegal’s Gorée Island. This island is known as the largest warehouse of enslaved Africans before they were forced onto ships abroad.

Thomas refers to these reimagined advertisements as “messages to the future.” They represent the desires and tropes of their time. This leads us to question: What visual messages that we currently accept as normal should be interrogated and criticized 40 years from now?

Editor's P/S:

The "LOVERULES" exhibit at the Henry Art Gallery in Seattle presents a thought-provoking exploration of the interplay between advertising, gender, and power dynamics. Hank Willis Thomas' "Unbranded: A Century of White Women" series exposes the underlying values and messages embedded in print advertisements, removing logos and copy to invite viewers to confront historical portrayals of femininity and its commercialization. The exhibit highlights troubling and unsettling images that reflect the objectification, inequality, and even violence faced by women in advertising.

Thomas' work extends beyond "LOVERULES" to encompass a broader examination of race, gender, and class in American society. Through his various art forms, he challenges societal norms and systems of oppression, juxtaposing historical images with contemporary realities. His "Unbranded" series delves into the selective investment of brands in marginalized communities, while his "B®anded" series explores the influence of corporations on our perception of self-worth. Thomas' art serves as a reminder of the insidious nature of advertising and the need to critically examine the messages we consume.