Mickalene Thomas

Mickalene Thomas was born in 1971 in Camden, New Jersey, and currently lives and works in Brooklyn, New York. Known for her vibrant, rhinestone-encrusted paintings, photographs, and installations, Thomas explores themes of Black female identity, beauty, and power through a fusion of art historical references, pop culture, and personal narrative. Her work frequently portrays Black women in empowered poses, drawing on aesthetics from 1970s Blaxploitation, domestic interiors, and classical portraiture to reframe traditional representations in Western art.

Thomas’s work is held in prominent collections including the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA), the Whitney Museum of American Art, the Brooklyn Museum, and the Art Institute of Chicago. She has received critical acclaim and several honours, such as the United States Artists Fellowship and the Anonymous Was A Woman Award. Her presence in the global art market is strong and steadily growing, with increasing visibility at major art fairs and international exhibitions. Thomas’s market is considered active and liquid, with her works consistently achieving high demand in both primary and secondary markets.