Mickalene Thomas

She's Come UnDone!

March 26 - May 2, 2009
540 West 26th Street

Press Release

Lehmann Maupin Gallery is pleased to present Mickalene Thomas' first New York solo exhibition "She's Come UnDone!" at the gallery's 540 West 26th Street location. This exhibition presents a new series of paintings, photographs and collages that continue her exploration of cultural and personal conceptions of female identity.

Known for her elaborate works composed with rhinestones, enamel and colorful acrylics, Thomas has created new works that introduce a complex vision of what it means to be a woman and expand common definitions of beauty. She has chosen her subjects for this body of work with an eye toward representations of women not typically seen in the canon of figurative painting. Drawing from her long study of art history and the classical genre of portraiture, she has infused her knowledge with more recent influences of popular culture and Pop Art.

In her painting, A-E-I-O-U (And Sometimes Y), Thomas has brought her multi-panel format to a grand scale. Each of the 40 panels of this painting depict the larger-than-life visage of a woman rendered in black rhinestones. Ten of the panels have been graced with a fuller spectrum of color, but all 40 have the simplified form and palette characteristic of Andy Warhol. With the disrupted grid arrangement and the primary colors, Thomas has orchestrated a lyrical composition reminiscent of Piet Mondrian's "Broadway Boogie Woogie."

New York-based artist Mickalene Thomas earned her MFA from Yale University in 2002 and, in 2002-2003, participated in the Artist-in-Residence program at the Studio Museum in Harlem. She has exhibited extensively and was included in the recent and critically acclaimed exhibitions 30 Americans at the Rubell Family Collection in Miami, FL; Black Is, Black Ain't at the Renaissance Society in Chicago, IL; and Greater New York 2005 at PS1 Contemporary Art Center in Long Island City, NY. Her work may also be seen in prestigious public collections such as the Brooklyn Museum; The Studio Museum in Harlem, NY; the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art, CA; the National Portrait Gallery in Washington D.C.; and the Art
Institute of Chicago among others.

For further information please contact Stephanie Smith at 212 255 2923 or Stephanie@LehmannMaupin.com, or you may visit our website at www.LehmannMaupin.com.
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Artists in this exhibition

• Mickalene Thomas

Press

• The New York Times Download PDF ()
• The Brooklyn Rail Download PDF ()
• Time Out New York Download PDF ()
• ArtForum Download PDF ()
• The New York Times Download PDF ()
• Whitewall Download PDF ()
• Nylon Download PDF ()
• Bomb, Number 107 / Spring 2009 Download PDF ()
• Art + Auction, In the Studio Download PDF ()

Exhibition Works

MICKALENE THOMAS A-E-I-O-U and Sometimes Y, 2009 rhinestone, acrylic and enamel on panel 40 panels, each: 24 x 20 inches 61 x 50.8 cm LM12422


MICKALENE THOMAS Don't forget about me (Keri), 2009 rhinestone, acrylic and enamel on panel 84 x 72 inches 213.4 x 182.9 cm LM12189


MICKALENE THOMAS Mama Bush: One of a Kind Two, 2009 rhinestone, acrylic and enamel on panel 108 x 144 x 2 inches 274.3 x 365.8 x 5.1 cm LM12313


MICKALENE THOMAS Naughty girls (need love too), 2009 rhinestone, acrylic and enamel on panel 96 x 120 x 2 inches 243.8 x 304.8 x 5.1 cm LM11850


MICKALENE THOMAS All she wants to do is dance (Fran), 2009 rhinestone, acrylic and enamel on panel 144 x 108 x 2 inches 365.8 x 274.3 x 5.1 cm LM12058


MICKALENE THOMAS Ain't I a woman (Sandra), 2009 DVD, rhinestone, acrylic and enamel on panel diptych, painting: 36 x 28 inches 91.4 x 71.1 cm Edition of 3 LM12078


MICKALENE THOMAS Ain't I a woman (Keri), 2009 DVD, rhinestone, acrylic and enamel on panel diptych, painting: 36 x 28 inches 91.4 x 71.1 cm Edition of 3 LM12080


MICKALENE THOMAS Ain't I a woman (Fran), 2009 DVD, rhinestone, acrylic and enamel on panel diptych, painting: 36 x 28 inches 91.4 x 71.1 cm Edition of 3 LM12080


MICKALENE THOMAS Still life with black and white panther, 2009 rhinestone, acrylic and enamel on panel 48 x 60 inches 121.9 x 152.4 cm LM12075


MICKALENE THOMAS Sandra: She's a Beauty, 2009 rhinestone, acrylic and enamel on panel 72 x 72 inches 182.9 x 182.9 cm LM12074


MICKALENE THOMAS Mama Bush: (Your love keeps lifting me) higher and higher, 2009 rhinestone, acrylic and enamel on panel 84 x 72 inches 213.4 x 182.9 cm LM12190


MICKALENE THOMAS Still life with flowers on flower, 2009 rhinestone and acrylic on panel 60 x 48 inches 152.4 x 121.9 cm LM12076