Artist

Mickalene Thomas

born Camden, NJ 1971

Born: Camden, New Jersey, United States
Active in: New York, New York, United States

Works by this artist (132 items)

View all artworks

Fisherman’s Idol

Artist

Man Ray

Datecast 1973

bronze

Its Another Spring

Artist

Man Ray

Date1961

mixed media: metal spring, ivory ball, and wooden cigar box

Le Voyeur

Artist

Man Ray

Date1965

wooden cigar box with inserted door lens

Square Dumb Bells

Artist

Man Ray

Date1944 or 1945

cast bronze

Videos

Video Player is loading.

Current Time 0:00

Duration 0:00

Loaded: 0.00%

Stream Type LIVE

Remaining Time 0:00

Meet the Artist: Mickalene Thomas on Her Materials and Artistic Influences
Meet The Artist: Mickalene Thomas on "Portrait of Mnonja"
You’ve Got Style

MICKALENE THOMAS: Hi, I'm Mickalene Thomas. I'm here at the Smithsonian American Art Museum.

I guess my appeal to craft materials is also another historical reference to women making art. When I was in undergrad, I couldn't always afford oil paint. Because I was in a school and still had to make work, I had to figure out ways in which to still make my art and not limit myself to “I can't make my art, because I don't have oil paint or acrylic paint.” So I gravitated toward non-traditional materials that were considered maybe, for some, a low art, but also to others a high art, if you look at outsider artists, right? I began going to Michaels craft stores, because I could afford felt, and I could afford yarn, and I could afford these little bags of rhinestones or glitter. I could get an abundance of those versus a tube of paint.

I began to acquire these materials and find meanings and ways to use them in my own work as a way of identifying myself but also making an image. That's something that I also push forward with some of my students is not to limit yourself with what you can't do, but just try to think of what you can do and use those materials that are within your own environment to make something.

When I was living in Portland, Oregon I would go to this bookstore called Powell's Books. Within the stacks of their books, I would just go up and down the aisle pulling out books on African-American artists. I remember looking at a William H. Johnson monograph and thinking at that time, "Oh, this is catalogue raisonné" and thinking how his sensibility of his line, representation of his journeys, and the people in his environment, and depicting his world, and depicting African-American lifestyles was a direct representation of who I was. It's really important for me, as an artist, to have a representation of myself so that youth could see themselves in these particular environments like museums. When they see my work, with all the art history, whether it's from William H. Johnson, to someone like David Hockney or Matisse, that when they're standing here that they see themselves.

Exhibitions

Media - 1967.59.1118 - SAAM-1967.59.1118_1 - 2924

Artworks by African Americans from the Collection

August 31, 2016–February 28, 2017

Smithsonian American Art Museum

In celebration of the 2016 Grand Opening of the National Museum of African American History and Culture, SAAM will display 184 of its most important artworks by African Americans.

Visit Planning

Access Programs

Museums

Explore Art and Artists

Something Fun

Exhibitions

Art Conservation

Collection Highlights

Research Resources

Publications

Fellows and Interns

Featured Resource

For K-12 Teachers

For Lifelong Learners

Learn from Home

Featured Resource

Latest News

About the Museums

Host an Event

Connect with Us

Shop Online

Featured Story

Donate

Join

Become a member

Mickalene Thomas

Works by this artist (132 items)

Videos

Exhibitions

Related Posts