'LOVERULES' Shines the Spotlight on a Jersey-Born Artist and Activist

A conversation with Hank Willis Thomas, a juror for the New Jersey Arts Annual exhibition, and a reception are set for Sept. 17 at the Zimmerli Art Museum

Hank Willis Thomas

An exhibition of nearly 90 works by conceptual artist and activist Hank Willis Thomas soon will fill the walls and space of the Zimmerli Art Museum at Rutgers University-New Brunswick.

LOVERULES - From the Collections of Jordan D. Schnitzer and His Family Foundation, the largest exhibition of Thomas' art in New Jersey to date, opens Thursday, Sept. 17, in the Voorhees Gallery of the museum at 71 Hamilton St., New Brunswick, N.J.

The works by Thomas - who focuses on identity, mass media and popular culture - span photography, sculpture and large public installations.

Born in Plainfield, N.J., in 1976, Thomas also served as the juror for the 2026 New Jersey Arts Annual exhibition, which also will be held at the Zimmerli in partnership with the New Jersey State Council on the Arts.

Kama Mama, Kama Binti (Like Mother, Like Daughter), is a 2008 digital chromogenic print by Hank Willis Thomas.

Hank Willis Thomas Selects the New Jersey Arts Annual - a showcase of contemporary works by 16 artists throughout the Garden State - opens in tandem with LOVERULES on Sept. 17. Both exhibitions will be on display through Dec. 20. Organized in partnership with museums throughout the state, the arts annual rotates annually among host institutions. This exhibition marks the Zimmerli's inaugural presentation.

Thomas and Jordan D. Schnitzer, a West Coast businessman, philanthropist and art collector, will discuss the LOVERULES artist's work followed by a reception at the Zimmerli from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 17. The exhibitions and the event are free and open to the public.

Thomas discusses the exhibition's title (which can be read as "love rules" as well as "love over rules"), the power of advertising and both upcoming exhibitions.

Love Over Rules is a 2020 screenprint by Hank Willis Thomas.

What inspired the title LOVERULES?

It's both a personal tribute and a universal call to action.

Variations of this phrase have appeared in several of my works. It's a tribute to my cousin Songha Willis, and it reflects a belief that love is not just a feeling, but a radical proposition. How can we approach seeing, listening, being and doing with love?

How did your upbringing here influence your work?

Born in New Jersey, I grew up in New York and Washington, D.C.

My mother - a photographer, curator and historian of photography - fostered my curiosity about how images shape culture.

This a detail of Scarred Chest, a 2003 digital chromogenic print by Hank Willis Thomas.

LOVERULESis the largest exhibition of your work ever presented in New Jersey. What does it mean to bring this body of work home?

It's thrilling to have a survey exhibition presented at one of the most diverse campuses in the country. I'm excited to see how people respond to the work.

Some people think of advertisements as reflections of society. Your work suggests they help shape society, too. How do you see that relationship?

Advertisements are carefully crafted to tell certain stories and obscure other truths. To understand their power, we need to engage with them critically and reveal what is being sold to us.

What do you hope Zimmerli visitors take away after experiencing LOVERULES?

I hope it catalyzes thought and conversation about the words and images that surround us. I hope it inspires us to become more engaged and empathetic citizens as we create our shared future.

But she has other important uses as well is a 2015 digital chromogenic print by Hank Willis Thomas.

More than 800 artists submitted work for the New Jersey Arts Annual exhibition. What qualities or themes stood out among the artists you selected?

With this show, we're presenting the work of 16 artists, with multiple works by each, so visitors will get a fuller sense of each artist's practice. These artists are tackling American history, technology, ideas of solidarity and more. There's even a little disco.

What advice would you offer aspiring artists attending Rutgers?

Love over rules.