Nekita Thomas
Champaign, IL
Installation Art / Fiction / Nonfiction
Nekita Thomas transcends traditional boundaries as a multidisciplinary visual artist and designer, focusing her mission on spatializing justice and reimagining the role of design in our lives and communities. Her work embodies a relentless pursuit of equity, wellness, and community empowerment, challenging existing paradigms while laying the groundwork for a more inclusive and just future. This endeavor is a testament to the power of design as a vehicle for social change, positioning Thomas as a social innovator in the design world.
Her commitment lies in designing frameworks, tools, and artworks that provoke critical thinking, knowledge exchange, and radical imagining. By persistently questioning the status quo with “what ifs” and “why nots,” Thomas delves deep into the realms of race, well-being, and urbanism. Her work stands at the crossroads of graphic design, civic engagement, and tactical urbanism, materializing through placemaking solutions, public art installations, and participatory design workshops. These initiatives guide communities toward envisioning and actualizing healthier environments and futures.
Thomas’s practice has been pivotal in projects with the National Public Housing Museum's Corner Store Co-op, the Chicago Sukkah Festival as part of the 2023 Chicago Architecture Biennial, SkyART Chicago Reimagining South-Chicago, and her academic home at the University of Illinois. These collaborations highlight her dedication to creating spaces that foster dialogue and understanding, emphasizing the critical role of design in addressing societal issues.
She has presented her work on both national and international stages, including esteemed venues such as the Krannert Art Museum, the Black in Design Conference at Harvard (BiD), the American Institute of Graphic Arts Design Educators Conference (AIGA), and the International Association of Societies of Design Research Conference (IASDR). These platforms have not only showcased her contributions to the field but also amplified her voice in the critical conversations around spatial justice.
Holding a BFA in Graphic Design from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and an MFA in Visual Studies from the University at Buffalo New York, Thomas's academic foundation underpins her innovative approaches to design and education. As an Assistant Professor of Graphic Design and Design for Responsible Innovation at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, she molds the next generation of designers to be conscientious, critical, and creative thinkers, encouraging them to explore the vast potential of design in enacting social change and fostering a more equitable world.