Artist Woman Crush (African American History Month Edition): Mickalene Thomas

A Little Taste Outside of Love, 2007 rhinestone, acrylic and enamel on pane

I love this artist's work. I always visit her pieces in Brooklyn Museum. Her female subjects are painted with enamel and rhinestones (!) in scenes inspired by 70s blaxploitation films. She brought glitter into the hallowed halls of fine art museums. If you know the white patriarchal upper class world of fine art, then you know rhinestones are considered to be antithesis to good art. But who could hate on these paintings? The garishness of the 1970s give her the license to use unconventional materials. This was the decade in which velvet paintings were considered a 'must have' in American home decor. Forever the print designer, I am also a fan of her use of retro textile prints. She reminds me of Gustav Klimt in the way that her figures are surrounded by these flattened patterned objects or clothing. Thomas also creates sculpture, installations and multimedia work.

Visit her website here: https://www.mickalenethomas.com/

When Ends Meet, 2007