Mickalene Thomas

Mickalene Thomas is a prominent contemporary artist and Senior Critic at the New York Academy of Art. She received her BFA from Pratt Institute (2000) and MFA from Yale University School of Art (2002). Thomas has held significant positions including Yale School of Art Presidential Visiting Fellow in Fine Arts (2020) and Pauli Murray College Associate Fellow at Yale University (2020). She serves on the Board of Trustees for the Brooklyn Museum and MoMA PS1.

Thomas's artistic practice spans painting, collage, photography, video, and installations that explore female sexuality, beauty, and power through the lens of Black female identity. Her work draws on art history and popular culture to create a contemporary vision that challenges traditional representations. She is particularly known for her elaborate paintings composed of rhinestones, acrylic, and enamel that command space while dissecting the intersecting complexities of Black and female identity within the Western canon.

Thomas's artistic output shows a consistent focus on Black female representation, art historical appropriation, and the exploration of beauty standards. Her work often features elaborate compositions that incorporate rhinestones and mixed media elements to create visually striking portraits that challenge conventional representations of Black women in art history. She frequently references art historical works while inserting contemporary Black female subjects, creating dialogues between past and present.

• USA Francie Bishop Good & David Horvitz Fellow (2015)
• Anonymous Was A Woman Award (2013)
• Brooklyn Museum Asher B. Durand Award (2012)
• Timehri Award for Leadership in the Arts (2010)
• Pratt Institute Legends Award (2022)
• Artistic Impact Award, Newark Museum (2022)

As an educator and mentor, Thomas has significantly influenced emerging artists through her teaching position at the New York Academy of Art and her various curatorial projects. She co-founded the Pratt>FORWARD 'Artist in the Market' incubator for post-graduate students, demonstrating her commitment to supporting the next generation of artists. Her work has been exhibited extensively in major institutions worldwide, including The Museum of Modern Art, Whitney Museum of American Art, and the Brooklyn Museum.