ABOUT THE EXHIBITION

The Illuminated Body features cut-and-layered paper portraits of Thomas’ family, friends, and neighbors, as well as icons of Black literature. Although they depict everyday people, her intricate and glowing artworks create a sacred atmosphere, reminiscent of medieval stained glass windows or illuminated manuscripts, where the familiar seems interwoven with the timeless and the mythical. Also included are three glowing glass vessels that feature designs reminiscent of her papercuts. The exhibition culminates in the immersive installation titled The Transformation Room, where light filters through hand-cut Tyvek screens. This space of radiance and luminosity allows the visitor to become part of Thomas’ art. In each light-filled work, Thomas hopes to reveal our “spiritual bodies,” the mythical and profound characteristics that are part of all of us.