As a black artist investigating the culture of his own people, Jared Thorne seeks to challenge hegemonic as well as self-imposed frameworks of Black identity in the United States and beyond. Thorne’s work centers on issues of race, social class, and gender. He engages questions of authenticity, representation, and history, challenging the viewer to redefine his or her relationship to modernity. Recently, Thorne has been exploring the diasporic relationship between America and Africa.
Thorne holds a BA in English Literature from Dartmouth College, and, following studies at the San Francisco Art Institute, received his MFA from Columbia University. Thorne is an Assistant Professor in the Art Department at The Ohio State University. Before joining the OSU faculty, Thorne held teaching positions at Stellensbosch Academy, the University of Cape Town, and City Varsity in South Africa