HANK WILLIS THOMAS: All Power to All People, Opa Locka Art

420 Aladdin St, Opa-locka, FL 33054, USA

A new artwork called "All Power to All People" - sculpted like an afro pick - is on permanent display on the lawn of an Opa-locka apartment complex, where it is described as a symbol of empowerment for the community.

 

Internationally known artist Hank Willis Thomas of New York came to South Florida for the Oct. 17 dedication at Town Center Apartments, 420 Aladdin St. in Opa-locka.

 

"This is really exciting for me to [have a permanent] piece in a place like this, having the history that it does," said Thomas, originally of New Jersey. "For me [this moment] reminds me of a thing my friend said … 'beauty is a basic service.' I hope they are happy to have it. I hope they embrace it. I hope it becomes a source of pride, a source of coming together and communicating and building a better future."


The work was placed at the Town Center Apartments, an affordable community for the elderly. The project was arranged in partnership with the Opa-locka Community Development Corporation (OLCDC), on the campus of the city's emerging THRIVE Innovation District.


October 11, 2017