Mickalene Thomas - Photographs New York Thursday, October 4, 2018 | Phillips

Photographs

New York Auction 4 October 2018

  • Provenance

    Lehmann Maupin Gallery, New York

  • Catalogue Essay

    Combining elements of photography, painting, collage and installation, Mickalene Thomas’ work presents multifaceted and dense visual landscapes. Influenced by artists such as Carrie Mae Weems, Thomas’s work explore themes of identity in race and gender, particularly African-American females: “By portraying real women with their own unique history, beauty and background, I’m working to diversify the representations of black women in art.” This unique photomontage installation, the first (from her series) to appear at auction, is comprised of seven panels each with stacked frames and fabric built around the seven striking female portraits.

  • Artist Biography

    Mickalene Thomas

    American • 1971

    Glamour and feminism need not be foes, as evinced by the wonderful work of Mickalene Thomas. The artist examines these qualities through the lens of the African-American female experience. Whether with her rhinestone-inflected, '70s-glam-inspired portraits of black beauty and power or her photographic installations of her mother's living room, Thomas personalizes while aestheticizing a visual conversation about race. By tackling classical art historical themes, she writes African-American aesthetics into traditional conventions.

    Blockbuster retrospectives at the Brooklyn Museum and ICA Boston thrust Thomas into contemporary art's mainstage. Her platform extends her creative pursuits into fashion, interiors and DJ'ing. Thomas' market has also grown at a steady pace with auction prices increasing each year.

    View More Works

276

Mickalene Thomas

Photomontage 5

2008
Unique photographic installation comprised of seven panels.
Overall 36 x 48 x 3.5 in. (91.4 x 121.9 x 8.9 cm)
Each panel signed, titled and dated in ink on the reverse.

Estimate
$25,000 - 35,000 

Sold for $31,250

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Photographs

New York Auction 4 October 2018