Spelman College Museum of Fine Art is proud to present “Mickalene Thomas: Mentors, Muses, and Celebrities,” an exhibition featuring new work by acclaimed painter, photographer, sculptor and filmmaker Mickalene Thomas, as a highlight of its 20th anniversary celebration.
The exhibition encourages viewers to consider deeply, how personal and public figures have reflected, re-imagined and altered their own self-image to create a larger narrative of what it means to be a woman in today’s society.
The exhibition makes its Southeast debut February 9, 2017, and will be on view at the Museum through May 20, 2017. “Mickalene Thomas: Mentors, Muses, and Celebrities” continues Spelman’s emphasis on serving as a cultural hub for the community—forging meaningful collaborations with renowned artists such as Thomas.
Thomas, whose work was included in the Museum’s 2013 presentation of “Posing Beauty in African American Culture” and 2009 exhibition “Undercover: Performing and Transforming Black Female Identities,” is inspired by a range of sources including art history, popular culture and feminist thought. By creating, manipulating and collaging the images and voices of a wide variety of women who inspire the artist, Thomas investigates and deconstructs conventional definitions of beauty, race and gender challenging stereotypes of how the female body is portrayed in the media. However, through collaging the women together—women she personally knows as well as women she admires—the exhibition can be seen as a portrait of the artist’s personal world, literally and physically showing the artist alongside her own mentors, muses and celebrities.
Due to mature content and adult language, visitor discretion is advised.
“Mickalene Thomas: Mentors, Muses, and Celebrities,” is organized by the Aspen Art Museum. Spelman College’s presentation is made possible by the Wish Foundation and the LUBO Fund.
More information: http://museum.spelman.edu/events/art-papers-live-mickalene-thomas/
