Bio

Rachel Elise Thomas (b. 1988) was born and is based in Detroit, Michigan. Thomas identifies as an interdisciplinary artist, designer, writer, archivist, and educator. Working within photography-based approaches, Thomas employs collage, printmaking, sculpture, and site-specific installation to explore the intricate nuances of her personal identity. She often explores nostalgia tied to her upbringing, dissecting her childhood, adolescence, and familial relationships. Early in her adolescence and career, Thomas was heavily influenced by the various photo albums in her family’s home––discovering a spiritual connection to deceased relatives, their origins in the South, migration to Detroit, and passed-down heirlooms connected to her lineage. Through her work, she revisits the past, but also uses this as an opportunity to confront it. Thomas challenges viewers with her perspectives surrounding colorism, desirability, misogynoir, and its biases; she critiques conventional beauty standards, what they mean and what they look like. She frequently utilizes her personal and familial archives––photographs and artifacts, along with their extensive collection of printed publications––forming the heart and foundation of her work.

In 2010, Thomas earned an Associate of Applied Science in Photographic Technology from Oakland Community College with Cum Laude Honors. In 2019, she received her BFA in Photography from the College for Creative Studies with Honors, along with the Imre J. Molnar Artistic Achievement Award. In 2022, Thomas was awarded a full-tuition scholarship to support her graduate studies, earning her MFA in Photography from the Cranbrook Academy of Art in 2024. The same year, Thomas was a recipient of the Aperture & Google Pixel Creator Labs Photo Fund.