Mickalene Thomas Unveils ‘All About Love’ at Hayward Gallery: A Journey Through Love and Creativity
Mickalene Thomas, a renowned contemporary artist, is set to showcase her latest solo exhibition, ‘All About Love,’ at the Hayward Gallery. This deeply introspective and visually captivating show delves into the multifaceted nature of love, reflecting on personal relationships that have shaped her artistic vision.
The Inspiration Behind ‘All About Love’
For Thomas, preparing for this exhibition was both a reflective and creative endeavor. She contemplated the trajectory of her artistic practice, focusing on her relationships with sitters, including her mother, friends, and former partners. These personal connections often served as the inspiration for her work, highlighting themes of love in its varied forms, such as strength, vulnerability, and desire.
Inspired by this introspection, Thomas named her exhibition ‘All About Love,’ drawing from the title of bell hooks’ work. hooks emphasized viewing love as a verb, representing an ongoing process rather than a static concept. This perspective resonated with Thomas, who sought to explore love through narratives and journeys in her art.
Exhibition Highlights: Visual Delights and Inviting Spaces
The centerpiece of the exhibition consists of Thomas’ mixed-media paintings featuring serene, leisurely female subjects. These artworks challenge the traditional objectification of Black women in art, presenting them in a way that embodies comfort and pleasure. Patterned backdrops adorned with rhinestones create a luscious, celebratory atmosphere.
Installation view of ‘Mickalene Thomas: All About Love’
Complementing the paintings are immersive installations recreating Thomas’ childhood home from the 1970s and 1980s, filled with personal items like Polaroid photos and cherished books. These spaces are designed to be inviting, fostering a sense of belonging for visitors.
The Artist’s Creative Process
A Moment’s Pleasure #2 (2008) by Mickalene Thomas
Thomas’ creative process involves extensive research and inspiration from various sources. She creates mood boards using archival images, prints from special papers, and her own photographs. Literature plays a crucial role in her inspiration, with works by James Baldwin and a biography on Alice Neel informing her artistic expression.
Future Projects and Artistic Aspirations
The exhibition at Hayward Gallery offers a snapshot of Thomas’ work, showcasing only a portion of her extensive portfolio. Beyond this show, she is actively working on monumental sculptures to be showcased in public spaces in New York and Switzerland, as well as several films.
For Thomas, the true measure of her success lies in the impact of her art. She aspires to inspire and empower viewers, much like how she was inspired by Carrie Mae Weems’ work in 1994. Her ultimate goal is to leave visitors with a transformed perspective, feeling a deeper connection to themselves and the world around them.
Discovering Mickalene Thomas: ‘All About Love’
Conclude your artistic journey with ‘Mickalene Thomas: All About Love’ at the Hayward Gallery, open until May 5th. Just a stone’s throw away, you can also explore the companion exhibition, ‘Linder: Danger Came Smiling.’
‘Mickalene Thomas: All About Love’ is at the Hayward Gallery until 5 May, paired with