Object Details
Artist
Mickalene Thomas, born Camden, NJ 1971
Sitter
Mnonja
Gallery Label
Mickalene Thomas covered the surface of Portrait of Mnonja with sparkling rhinestones that adorn the reclining figure's clothing, makeup, and high-heeled shoes. The colorful plastic gems are not usually found on paintings or in museums, but they are at the heart of Thomas's art.
Although she first started working with rhinestones because they were inexpensive, Thomas finds them to be the ideal material to represent the Black women who are her subjects. She loves to use an element of women's crafts that is often dismissed as unimportant.
In Mnonja, the straightforward appeal of the stones emphasizes the sitter's powerful presence and sensuality. "Beauty has always been an element of discussion for Black women," Thomas explains, "whether or not we were the ones having the conversation."
Credit Line
Smithsonian American Art Museum, Museum purchase through the Luisita L. and Franz H. Denghausen Endowment
Copyright
© 2010, Mickalene Thomas
Date
2010
Object number
2011.16
Restrictions & Rights
Usage conditions apply
Type
Painting
Medium
rhinestones, acrylic, and enamel on wood panel
Dimensions
96 x 120 in. (243.8 x 304.8 cm)
See more items in
Smithsonian American Art Museum Collection
Department
Painting and Sculpture
On View
Smithsonian American Art Museum, 3rd Floor, East Wing
Data Source
Smithsonian American Art Museum
Topic
African American
Architecture Interior\domestic\living room
Portrait female
Link to Original Record
Record ID
saam_2011.16