January 31 - March 8, 2025

opening reception: Friday, January 31st - 4 to 7pm

Cry Loud and Spare Not takes its name and thematic inspiration from the Bible. In the 58th chapter of Isaiah, the prophet boldly calls out against societal injustices and the hypocrisy of empty rituals, urging people to pursue true righteousness, justice, and mercy. This collection offers an evocative retrospective of the last ten years of my 30-plus-year art practice, using this biblical foundation to draw parallels between the societal challenges of ancient times and the contemporary struggles we face today. Through this lens, these works reflect on the persistent uncertainty of our modern world, particularly the continued suffering and marginalization of Black people in America.

Through a range of media—including painting, sculpture, and mixed-media collage—the exhibition addresses the lived experiences of Black Americans. By referencing the themes of Isaiah 58, I aim to challenge viewers to confront the emptiness of performative faith and recognize the necessity of authentic, transformative action in the face of suffering. The works express a wide range of emotions: the raw pain of oppression, the joys of music and love, the burning desire for change, and the enduring hope for redemption.

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Ultimately, Cry Loud and Spare Not is a call to action—not just a reflection on the past, but a vision for the future, where righteousness and justice are fully realized.

- Raymond Thomas, 2025

Thomas has been an active contributor to the arts community, serving on the boards and committees of esteemed Chicago institutions such as Little Black Pearl, the Black Harvest Film Festival, the Chicago International Film Festival's Black Perspectives Sidebar, the Chicago Public Art Group, and the South Side Community Art Center (SSCAC). From 2012 to 2014, he served as SSCAC's creative director and curator, organizing some of the center's most provocative and well-attended exhibitions in its 75-year history.

A three-time recipient of the City of Chicago's Individual Arts Program Creative Projects Grant (2014, 2015, and 2018), Thomas was also honored in 2015 with a commission by the Burnham Wildlife Corridor Curatorial Committee, the Chicago Park District, and The Field Museum. Alongside two other artists, he created Sankofa for the Earth, a public art installation on the Chicago lakefront, unveiled in 2016. In 2017, he received the Margaret Burroughs Arts Advocacy Award from SSCAC.

Currently, Thomas serves as creative director for the Jazz Institute of Chicago and as curator of the Walgreens Expressions Challenge, a traveling high school art competition held in Chicago and St. Louis.