eBay, conceptual artist Hank Willis Thomas, and the non-profit Public Art Fund are partnering on an exclusive sale featuring a signed, limited-edition print of his potent ALL LI ES MATTER piece, which gained national recognition in 2018 after dominating the cover of New York magazine as part of its 50th anniversary art project, and as one of 52 billboards presented by For Freedoms in every U.S. state, plus Washington D.C. and Puerto Rico, in the leadup to the 2018 Midterm Elections. Today through November 15, 400 artist-signed editions of the print will be available to shoppers for $375 at ebay.com/HankWillisThomas, as part of eBay’s #Artober campaign. One hundred percent of proceeds will benefit the Public Art Fund of New York.
Thomas works with themes related to identity, commodity, media and popular culture, reflecting on issues and problematic norms within today’s society. His work is collected by museums including the Museum of Modern Art in New York; Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum, New York; Whitney Museum of American Art, New York; and National Gallery of Art, Washington D.C. Thomas is equally respected as a thought leader and changemaker whose collaborations like Question Bridge: Black Males, In Search Of The Truth (The Truth Booth), and the artist-run initiative for art and civic engagement For Freedoms, have encouraged public dialogue about society’s most pressing issues.
This timely and distinctive print will be accessible to millions of shoppers on a global scale and supports the Public Art Fund’s mission to bring compelling contemporary art to a broad audience.
"All lives matter sounds great if you really mean it. Many people use this innocuous phrase to cover up lies,” said Hank Willis Thomas. “I’m interested in using my work – and visual language in general – to discuss things that aren’t usually addressed in consumer culture or that spark conversations among people of different backgrounds and viewpoints.”
"Hank Willis Thomas has become a prolific commentator on modern culture, and his unique voice resonates with both eBay and its global community of shoppers and enthusiasts," said Sam Bright, Vice President of Merchandising at eBay. “eBay embraces uniqueness and diversity, both in the buyers and sellers we serve, and the selection of works we offer. Thomas’ art will be perfectly at home among the vibrant pieces we’re showcasing this #Artober.”
Proceeds from the prints will go to Public Art Fund and its mission to provide democratic access to contemporary art by today’s most important artists. In addition to hosting high profile exhibitions, the non-profit organization offers public programming that emphasizes the global impact of art and access to the most important artists of our time. Public Art Fund has presented Thomas’ work in two exhibitions: a group show titled Image Objects (2015) and the solo exhibition The Truth is I See You (2015-16), which included several presentations of In Search Of The Truth (The Truth Booth) in Brooklyn.
eBay’s #Artober campaign honors and spotlights art and its many contributions to culture and the community. To celebrate the moment, eBay is collaborating with several artists and non-profit arts organizations alongside Thomas and the Public Art Fund, including Yoshitomo Nara for Dallas Contemporary, tokidoki and Simone Legno for Children Mending Hearts, and Carlos Rolón for Project Backboard, to feature exclusive releases and sales. Further, the eBay Foundation will donate $20,000 to be distributed among each of the organizations.
Shoppers and art enthusiasts can visit ebay.com/artober to learn more about the #Artober campaign, and follow eBay at @eBay on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook for news on the latest art drops.
About Public Art Fund
Public Art Fund is dedicated to providing democratic access to contemporary art by today's most important artists and championing the role of artistic expression in an open society. Over the past 40+ years, Public Art Fund has redefined what public art is and can be through more than 450 high-profile projects and engaging public programs that demonstrate the power and potential of public art to transform the urban environment, engage audiences of all ages and backgrounds, and capture the imaginations of millions.