EMILY SHUR & HANK WILLIS THOMAS COLLABORATE ONCE MORE FOR TIME MAGAZINE

Emily Shur teamed up once again with fellow artist Hank Willis Thomas on a powerful image in collaboration with Pharrell Williams for this week’s issue of Time. This entire special issue, entitled “The New American Revolution,” was curated by Pharrell and examines America’s oppressive past and its potential for an equitable future.

 

"We had about five days to fully execute the whole thing from start to finish,” says Emily. “So we enlisted CGI artists Dirt Empire to make the flaming dollar sign, and then I photographed all the people in multiple small, socially distanced groups. My retoucher, Wet Noodles, and I composited all of the elements together to make the final image and give it a look and feel.”

 

Despite the haste, she and her team were careful to make it a safe set. Everyone was in masks, including everyone in the photo, which accompanies and illustrates a piece written by Pharrell and journalist Michael Harriot.

 

"I’m pretty amazed at what we were able to achieve,” she says. “I was honored to be involved.”