Mask Signed by Phillip Thomas, 2026 by Tara Fay Coleman

White plastic mask, permanent marker Unique work Mask Signed by Phillip Thomas examines the relationship between authorship, identity, and the assignment of value. The work consists of a simple white mask bearing the signature of Phillip Thomas, whose name becomes the defining feature of the object. By elevating an ordinary signature to the status of an artwork, Coleman questions the authority assigned to names and the systems through which objects acquire cultural and monetary value. The mask becomes a site of both anonymity and identification, challenging conventional notions of authorship, recognition, and artistic legitimacy.