CHIFFON C. THOMAS (b. 1991, Chicago, IL) lives and works in Inglewood, CA, and holds an MFA from Yale University and a BFA from The School of The Art Institute of Chicago. Thomas’ powerful assemblages examine the nuances of defining oneself in contemporary society, portraying a form of self-expression that puts touch at the forefront. Identifying as trans and queer while raised within a strong religious environment, Thomas has used his work as a space to grapple with conflicting beliefs, values, and desires. Using material as an expressive visual language, Thomas interprets feelings of nostalgia, longing to belong, and affirmations of the self.

Thomas has completed the Skowhegan School of Painting and Sculpture in Skowhegan, ME, and the Fountainhead Residency in Miami, FL. Thomas’ work is included in the permanent collections of the Hammer Museum, Los Angeles; Studio Museum of Harlem, New York; ICA Miami; Pérez Art Museum, Miami; Currier Museum of Art, Manchester, NH; X Museum, Beijing, China, among others. Thomas currently has a solo exhibition at P.P.O.W Gallery in New York (through October 15, 2022) and a forthcoming solo exhibition at the Aldrich Museum in Ridgefield, CT (September 2023).

(Photo Credit: Mena Henry; Source: Joan Mitchell Foundation)