Freeze Tag Hustlers Gang: Solo exhibition by Jamal Thorne
Freeze Tag Hustlers Gang by Boston-based artist Jamal Thorne is an exhibition nearly three years in development, conceived during Praise Shadows Art Gallery's earliest days. The gallery is honored to present a new group of nine collages created specifically for this exhibition, coinciding with and inspired by a pivotal recent moment in the artist's life: fatherhood.
The title Freeze Tag Hustlers Gang refers to the figures depicted in Thorne’s collages, imagined co-defendants in court who have hustled and cheated to survive a system that, according to the artist, “is openly hostile towards Black men.” They are living proof of the possibility of escape. Their “trial” is poised to turn them into martyrs for the cause of growth, elevation, evolution, and freedom.
RESCHEDULED: On October 4, Jamal and Boston public art icon and community activist Rob "ProBlak" Gibbs will be in conversation on Zoom from 7-8 pm. Register here to join.
About the artist
Jamal Thorne is an African-American artist from Maryland with a reputation for visually captivating drawings and mixed media collages. His artistic journey began at the age of 15 as a graffiti artist, igniting a lifelong passion for creative expression. Graduating from Morgan State University in Baltimore with a degree in fine art, Thorne further cultivated his artistic identity by completing a master's degree in fine arts from the School of the Museum of Fine Art and Northeastern University. Thorne is a recipient of the Joan Mitchell Grant for painting.
Thorne is currently a professor of art and design at Northeastern University, while maintaining an active studio practice in Boston. His body of work centers predominantly around his personal experiences as a Black man, delving into themes of identity performance, consumption habits, and the emotional labor inherent in everyday life. Initially focused on drawing in charcoal and graphite, Thorne has developed his artistic style into multilayered collages that blend drawings of cultural iconography, found materials, and acrylic paint.
