Mickalene Thomas: All About Love

New York artist Mickalene Thomas is known for her diverse body of work in painting, collage, print, photography, and immersive installations. Her acclaimed and expansive repertoire draws inspiration from both 19th-century art and popular culture, presenting a multifaceted and empowering portrayal of womanhood while challenging traditional ideas of beauty, sexuality, celebrity, and politics. This definitive publication solidifies Thomas' position as a prominent figure in contemporary art. It showcases her significant pieces organized thematically, accompanied by an interview with the artist by Rachel Thomas, and thought-provoking essays by Beverly Guy-Sheftall, Darnell L. Moore, Claudia Rankine, Ed Schad, Renée Mussai, and Christine Y. Kim. These essays delve into Thomas' unique visual language, which explores themes of intergenerational female empowerment, autobiography, memory, and Black feminist theory. In particular, they explore how Thomas subverts art history to reclaim the notions of repose, rest and leisure in works that celebrate self-expression and joy. For the artist, repose is a radical act, pointing to "what is able to happen once you have the agency."