Lava Thomas

Region: Pacific Coast

 Through an oeuvre that includes drawing, sculpture, and site-specific installation, I strive to connect people across distance and difference, using my practice to bridge our common humanity while addressing important issues of our time. Whether creating memorials to victims of racial violence, illuminating the labor of women in the struggle for equality, or stretching the conventions of portraiture and representation, I am concerned with amplifying ideas that explore visibility, resilience, and empowerment in the face of erasure, trauma, and oppression.

My creative process is led by research, experiential knowledge, and experimentation. It is informed by current events, black feminism, and history— both public and personal. While drawing and mark-making are the backbone of my practice, I look for ways that specific materials and methods support the conceptual ideas that I want each project to convey. By engaging in dialogues that shape our past and present, my practice is a means to imagine and create a more equitable future.