Can bars represent liberty while so many people are confined behind them? These new works by Hank Willis Thomas on view in Another Justice: US is Them investigate the fabric of our nation—literally and figuratively—beginning with Thomas’ deconstruction of the fabrics of U.S. flags and prison uniforms. In drawing attention to the similarities in these materials, the artist reckons with the deep irony in the United States being represented by “the stars and bars” while having the highest prison population in the world. Once deconstructed, the artist uses these textiles to form abstract designs and labyrinths of text, resulting in quilts that imbue their fabrics with new meaning. Referencing that the prison system is an extension of antebellum slavery, profiting from the exploitation of labor and the trading of Black bodies, Thomas embeds his own language within these charged materials, highlighting the significance across time and space of ideas such as “freedom.” Plan your visit to experience the exhibition today • parrishart.org/visit/timedadmission/ Photo credit: @Kaws @hankwillisthomas #HankWillisThomas @forfreedoms