This chapter delves into an artist's shift from abstract painting to representational art, significantly shaped by photography and personal experiences with their mother. It highlights the interplay between familial dynamics, self-exploration, and the celebration of Black women in art and photography.
Known for her elaborate paintings composed of rhinestones, acrylic, and enamel, Mickalene Thomas draws on art history and popular culture to create a contemporary vision of female sexuality, beauty, and power.