Teach with Collections: Hank Willis Thomas, Scarred Chest

In Scarred Chest, the muscled torso of a black man fills the frame. Although he is seemingly in perfect physical shape, his pectoral muscles are marred by nine Nike swoop-shaped scars. While these raised shapes are reminiscent of extant photographs of the latticework scars left by the lacerations of a slave-owner's whip, Thomas is also referring to the historical punishment of branding runaway slaves, often on their chests or shoulders. This branding, like that used by Nike more than a century later, was meant to signal an identifiable product. Thomas inserted the scars onto his model's body through digital manipulation, using the Nike logo as a means of calling attention to how slavery, sports, and African American history are entangled.

Conversation prompts

What effect do the scale of this work and its cropping have?

In superimposing scarification marks, what other images does Willis's photograph call to mind?

Is this a powerful or susceptible body? Explain.