About
Raphael Thomas is a Jamaican-born, New Jersey-raised artist whose career spans the worlds of dance and visual art. A creative force shaped by a lifetime surrounded by art, Raphael found early expression through illustration, but it was dance that first launched his professional journey.
His choreography and performance work have taken him around the globe, collaborating with some of the biggest names in music — including Taylor Swift, Chris Brown, Usher, and Janet Jackson. Even at the height of his dance career, Raphael’s love for the fine arts remained a grounding force, with sketchbooks, paint, and bold concepts never far from reach.
Now working under the creative moniker The New Renaissance, Raphael is deepening his practice as a contemporary pop artist — creating work that bridges cultures, ignites dialogue, and illuminates the layered truths of identity, beauty, and imagination. With each piece, he invites audiences into a visual language shaped by rhythm, emotion, and legacy.
