{"id":1520,"date":"2017-10-05T08:18:52","date_gmt":"2017-10-05T08:18:52","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/media-archive.blackartinamerica.com\/?p=1520"},"modified":"2017-10-05T08:20:11","modified_gmt":"2017-10-05T08:20:11","slug":"mickalene-thomas-highlights-her-muses-at-the-georgia-museum-of-art-at-the-university-of-georgia","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/earthexhibitions.org\/media-archive\/?p=1520","title":{"rendered":"Mickalene Thomas highlights her muses"},"content":{"rendered":"<section>\n<h1 style=\"text-align: center;\">Mickalene Thomas highlights her muses<u><\/u><u><\/u><\/h1>\n<div><\/div>\n<\/section>\n<section class=\"post-content\">The word \u201cmuse\u201d conjures an image of an ethereal ancient Greek figure, but artist Mickalene Thomas has a different, more grounded set of muses, comprising strong African American women, including her mother, friends and former lovers. Thomas is best known for her large-scale paintings of women, which complicate the art historical representation of female beauty and reconsider tropes around femininity, identity and desire.Currently based in Brooklyn, Thomas earned her bachelor of fine arts in painting at Pratt Institute in 2000 and a master of fine arts at the Yale University School of Art. She experimented with photography by taking photographs of herself and her mother. For each image, Thomas creates a tableau with furniture and fabrics that the models pose within. She uses stylistic influences from the 1970s, the civil rights movement and second-wave feminism as she puts forward a complex depiction of what it means to be a woman and an expansive definition of beauty. The Georgia Museum of Art at the University of Georgia will present the exhibition \u201cMuse: Mickalene Thomas Photographs and t\u00eate-\u00e0-t\u00eate\u201d from October 14, 2017, through January 7, 2018. More than 40 works by Thomas and artists whose work she has selected will be on view.Thomas\u2019 work both deconstructs and reappropriates art history while it reflects a personal community of inspiration. Her photograph \u201cLe D\u00e9jeuner sur l\u2019Herbe: Les Trois Femmes Noires,\u201d for example, reimagines Edouard Manet\u2019s famed painting of a bohemian picnic with three women who are close friends of the artist.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><iframe loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/d3E1niqEVlQ\" width=\"780\" height=\"450\" frameborder=\"0\" allowfullscreen=\"allowfullscreen\" data-mce-fragment=\"1\"><\/iframe><\/p>\n<p>\u201cWe are excited about the opportunity to exhibit the work of this cutting-edge contemporary artist,\u201d said Shawnya Harris, the museum\u2019s Larry D. and Brenda A. Thompson Curator of African American and African Diasporic Art. \u201cWe anticipate that our audiences will be engaged and fascinated with works that are both accessible and thought provoking.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Thomas served as curator of the other artists\u2019 works on display in the exhibition, an installation of work by fellow photographers that includes specific works of art that have inspired her. Artists include Derrick Adams, LaToya Ruby Frazier, Lyle Ashton Harris, Deana Lawson, Zanele Muholi, Malick Sidib\u00e9, Xaviera Simmons, Hank Willis Thomas and Carrie Mae Weems.<\/p>\n<p>This exhibition is organized by Aperture Foundation in New York, a not-for-profit foundation that aims to connect the photo community and its audiences with the most inspiring work. This exhibition is sponsored by the Robert Mapplethorpe Foundation, Inc., and locally by UGA\u2019s Willson Center for Humanities and Arts, the W. Newton Morris Charitable Foundation and the Friends of the Georgia Museum of Art.<\/p>\n<p>Programs related to the exhibition include 90 Carlton: Autumn, the museum\u2019s quarterly reception (free for members of the Friends of the Georgia Museum of Art, $5 non-members) on October 13 at 5:30 p.m. (the exhibition opens to the general public the following day); Museum Mix, the museum\u2019s thrice-annual art party, with a live DJ and free refreshments, on October 19 from 8 to 11 p.m.; \u201cConversations on Muses,\u201d a gallery tour and discussion with curator Dr. Shawnya Harris in collaboration with the UGA departments of women\u2019s studies and African American studies, on October 20 at 12:20 p.m.; a screening of the documentary \u201cThrough a Lens Darkly: Black Photographers and the Emergence of a People\u201d on October 26 at 7 p.m.; a public tour on November 1 at 2 p.m.; a Teen Studio program on November 9 from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. (a free program for ages 13 \u2013 18 that includes a pizza dinner; email sagekincaid@uga.edu or call 706.542.0448 to reserve a spot); and an Artful Conversation on December 13 at 2 p.m. Several of these programs are in conjunction with UGA\u2019s 2017 Spotlight on the Arts festival.<\/p>\n<\/section>\n<div class=\"sharedaddy sd-sharing-enabled\"><div class=\"robots-nocontent sd-block sd-social sd-social-official sd-sharing\"><h3 class=\"sd-title\">Share this:<\/h3><div class=\"sd-content\"><ul><li class=\"share-facebook\"><div class=\"fb-share-button\" data-href=\"https:\/\/earthexhibitions.org\/media-archive\/?p=1520\" data-layout=\"button_count\"><\/div><\/li><li><a href=\"#\" class=\"sharing-anchor sd-button share-more\"><span>More<\/span><\/a><\/li><li class=\"share-end\"><\/li><\/ul><div class=\"sharing-hidden\"><div class=\"inner\" style=\"display: none;\"><ul><li class=\"share-reddit\"><div class=\"reddit_button\"><iframe src=\"https:\/\/www.reddit.com\/static\/button\/button1.html?newwindow=true&width=120&amp;url=https%3A%2F%2Fearthexhibitions.org%2Fmedia-archive%2F%3Fp%3D1520&amp;title=Mickalene%20Thomas%20highlights%20her%20muses\" height=\"22\" width=\"120\" scrolling=\"no\" frameborder=\"0\"><\/iframe><\/div><\/li><li class=\"share-twitter\"><a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/share\" class=\"twitter-share-button\" data-url=\"https:\/\/earthexhibitions.org\/media-archive\/?p=1520\" data-text=\"Mickalene Thomas highlights her muses\" data-via=\"baiaonline\" >Tweet<\/a><\/li><li class=\"share-end\"><\/li><li class=\"share-tumblr\"><a class=\"tumblr-share-button\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.tumblr.com\/share\" data-title=\"Mickalene Thomas highlights her muses\" data-content=\"https:\/\/earthexhibitions.org\/media-archive\/?p=1520\" title=\"Share on Tumblr\"data-posttype=\"link\">Share on Tumblr<\/a><\/li><li class=\"share-linkedin\"><div class=\"linkedin_button\"><script type=\"in\/share\" data-url=\"https:\/\/earthexhibitions.org\/media-archive\/?p=1520\" data-counter=\"right\"><\/script><\/div><\/li><li class=\"share-end\"><\/li><li class=\"share-pinterest\"><div class=\"pinterest_button\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.pinterest.com\/pin\/create\/button\/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fearthexhibitions.org%2Fmedia-archive%2F%3Fp%3D1520&#038;media=https%3A%2F%2Fi0.wp.com%2Fearthexhibitions.org%2Fmedia-archive%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2F2017%2F10%2Fmthomas2b.jpg%3Ffit%3D800%252C640%26ssl%3D1&#038;description=Mickalene%20Thomas%20highlights%20her%20muses\" data-pin-do=\"buttonPin\" data-pin-config=\"beside\"><img src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/assets.pinterest.com\/images\/pidgets\/pinit_fg_en_rect_gray_20.png?w=750\" data-recalc-dims=\"1\" \/><\/a><\/div><\/li><li class=\"share-end\"><\/li><\/ul><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Mickalene Thomas highlights her muses at The Georgia Museum of Art at the University of Georgia.<\/p>\n<div class=\"sharedaddy sd-sharing-enabled\"><div class=\"robots-nocontent sd-block sd-social sd-social-official sd-sharing\"><h3 class=\"sd-title\">Share this:<\/h3><div class=\"sd-content\"><ul><li class=\"share-facebook\"><div class=\"fb-share-button\" data-href=\"https:\/\/earthexhibitions.org\/media-archive\/?p=1520\" data-layout=\"button_count\"><\/div><\/li><li><a href=\"#\" class=\"sharing-anchor sd-button share-more\"><span>More<\/span><\/a><\/li><li class=\"share-end\"><\/li><\/ul><div class=\"sharing-hidden\"><div class=\"inner\" style=\"display: none;\"><ul><li class=\"share-reddit\"><div class=\"reddit_button\"><iframe src=\"https:\/\/www.reddit.com\/static\/button\/button1.html?newwindow=true&width=120&amp;url=https%3A%2F%2Fearthexhibitions.org%2Fmedia-archive%2F%3Fp%3D1520&amp;title=Mickalene%20Thomas%20highlights%20her%20muses\" height=\"22\" width=\"120\" scrolling=\"no\" frameborder=\"0\"><\/iframe><\/div><\/li><li class=\"share-twitter\"><a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/share\" class=\"twitter-share-button\" data-url=\"https:\/\/earthexhibitions.org\/media-archive\/?p=1520\" data-text=\"Mickalene Thomas highlights her muses\" data-via=\"baiaonline\" >Tweet<\/a><\/li><li class=\"share-end\"><\/li><li class=\"share-tumblr\"><a class=\"tumblr-share-button\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.tumblr.com\/share\" data-title=\"Mickalene Thomas highlights her muses\" data-content=\"https:\/\/earthexhibitions.org\/media-archive\/?p=1520\" title=\"Share on Tumblr\"data-posttype=\"link\">Share on Tumblr<\/a><\/li><li class=\"share-linkedin\"><div class=\"linkedin_button\"><script type=\"in\/share\" data-url=\"https:\/\/earthexhibitions.org\/media-archive\/?p=1520\" data-counter=\"right\"><\/script><\/div><\/li><li class=\"share-end\"><\/li><li class=\"share-pinterest\"><div class=\"pinterest_button\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.pinterest.com\/pin\/create\/button\/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fearthexhibitions.org%2Fmedia-archive%2F%3Fp%3D1520&#038;media=https%3A%2F%2Fi0.wp.com%2Fearthexhibitions.org%2Fmedia-archive%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2F2017%2F10%2Fmthomas2b.jpg%3Ffit%3D800%252C640%26ssl%3D1&#038;description=Mickalene%20Thomas%20highlights%20her%20muses\" data-pin-do=\"buttonPin\" data-pin-config=\"beside\"><img src=\"\/\/assets.pinterest.com\/images\/pidgets\/pinit_fg_en_rect_gray_20.png\" \/><\/a><\/div><\/li><li class=\"share-end\"><\/li><\/ul><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":1521,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"om_disable_all_campaigns":false,"_mi_skip_tracking":false,"jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_is_tweetstorm":false,"jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true},"categories":[1],"tags":[225,52,224,222,223,226],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/earthexhibitions.org\/media-archive\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/10\/mthomas2b.jpg?fit=800%2C640&ssl=1","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p9e2oK-ow","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/earthexhibitions.org\/media-archive\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1520"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/earthexhibitions.org\/media-archive\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/earthexhibitions.org\/media-archive\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/earthexhibitions.org\/media-archive\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/earthexhibitions.org\/media-archive\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=1520"}],"version-history":[{"count":5,"href":"https:\/\/earthexhibitions.org\/media-archive\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1520\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1526,"href":"https:\/\/earthexhibitions.org\/media-archive\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1520\/revisions\/1526"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/earthexhibitions.org\/media-archive\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/1521"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/earthexhibitions.org\/media-archive\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=1520"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/earthexhibitions.org\/media-archive\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=1520"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/earthexhibitions.org\/media-archive\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=1520"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}