The imposing 12-foot-tall bronze sculptures of men and women in Thomas J. Price’s “Resilience of Scale” exhibit project a powerful presence. With his first major solo show at Hauser & Wirth’s SoHo gallery –– and a sixth sculpture, “Grounded in the Stars,” which was unveiled on April 29 in Times Square at Broadway and 46th Street –– Price portrays Black people in relaxed yet commanding postures while normalizing and celebrating their physicality.
At a press briefing for the opening of his gallery show, Price spoke about remembering how people reacted to him and his family when he was growing up as a Black child in Britain. He said it fascinated him to see how other people reacted to his family members: how people looked at them and decided whether they were important or not.
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Those insights later led him to think about how people are generally taught to understand monuments and sculptures — representations of history and achievement, which can be of real people or fictional characters. Large-scale sculptures of everyday Black people are uncommon, but Price has used digital sculpting and wax casting to create stately depictions that show the grandeur of familiar Black figures. He places them in postures and stances we’re used to seeing; they wear casual jeans, suits, and athletic outfits that situate them within the everyday world.
Price’s work has been featured in public spaces throughout Europe, the United States, Canada, and Australia. His sculptures portray individuals unbothered at being seen. The artist said he’s looking forward to seeing the public’s reaction to his Times Square piece “Grounded in the Stars.” “It’s going to be interesting to see how it’s perceived in that space,” he said. “Because I do think that wherever I put my works, they tend to bring out the things that need to be talked about in that area. I’ve put the same work in a different location, and it will bring out the nuance of that space, and the nuance in that community, and the nuance and intensity of that space.”
“Resilience of Scale” is on view through June 15, 2025, at Hauser & Wirth’s SoHo gallery, 134 Wooster St, New York, NY 10012. For more information, visit: www.hauserwirth.com. “Grounded in the Stars” will be on view in Times Square at Broadway and 46th Street until June 17, 2025.