mickalene thomas
Mickalene Thomas is a painter and photographer. She has developed a daring collection of works using oil paintings, acrylic, vibrant rhinestones, and photography to confront issues of self-image, erotica, Black women's notoriety, and the commodification of the Black identity with a nod to 1970s aesthetic and imagery.
Born in Camden, New Jersey in 1971, Mickalene Thomas was raised in a predominantly women-oriented family. After experiencing difficulties in her home life, Thomas relocated to Oregon to finish her senior year of high school.
Although introduced to art as a young child, from galleries to academic lectures, Thomas decided to start her studies in Pre-Law at Portland State University. After a few years as a law clerk and surrounded by the Portland art scene, her passion to truly pursue art took over, and she received her Bachelor of Arts in Fine Arts from Pratt Institute in 2000 and her Master of Arts from Yale University in 2002. Despite participating in group exhibitions around the country, Thomas was unable to secure her own exhibition until she met Chicago gallery stalwart Rhona Hoffman, who financed the exhibition "Something About You..." in 2006. She was scheduled to have her first solo gallery exhibition at the Indianapolis Museum of Contemporary Art before the end of 2007. Thomas' present place of residence is New York City.
Above: A Little Taste Outside of Love, 2007
Thomas earned her recognition for utilizing unconventional materials. She used fabric, glitter, and other craft elements purchased from craft stores in the suburbs, along with crystals.
On the right: She Wore Lime Green Jellies, Desert Women Series
Thomas was greatly inspired by Edouard Manet’s nude portraits during the Naturalism movement and Picasso’s depictions of the female nude during the Cubism movement, as well as the 1970s black-is-beautiful social movement, to inspire and uplift the beauty of Black women and bodies.
Her greatest can be pinpointed to Jet Magazine.
Jet Magazine was regarded as a prominent cultural multimedia print for the Black community and produced a “Beauty of the Week” calendar, which fascinated Thomas.
Thomas’s works have been displayed all around the country. The Museum of Modern Art, the Museum of Contemporary Art, the Santa Barbara Contemporary Arts Forum, and the Dumbo Arts Center have all had exhibits of her work. Additionally, she was a resident artist at Yale University and the Studio Museum in Harlem. She served as the resident artist in 2011 at the Giverny, France-based Versailles Foundation Munn Artist Program.
On the left: Hot! Wild! Unrestricted!, 2009
“The mirror is a powerful tool because it forces you to deal with yourself on a deeper level. Conceptually, paintings are like mirrors. They're an expression from the artist: 'This is how I view the world -- I'm presenting it to you.’”
-Mickalene Thomas
La Leçon D’amour, 2008
Le Déjeuner Sur L'herbe: Les Trois Femmes Noires, 2010