(Camden, New Jersey, 1971 - )
2012
Chromogenic print
59 x 48 in. (149.9 x 121.9 cm)
Collection of the Akron Art Museum
Museum Acquisition Fund
2016.14
© Mickalene Thomas
Mickalene Thomas views her subjects—black women who exude a self-possessed beauty and eroticism—as extensions of herself. Their confidence, self-awareness and perseverance are some of the qualities the artist values most. Thomas describes her interactions with her muses as collaborative, inviting each individual to discover poses and characters to embody. They are staged in constructed environments decorated with vintage patterned fabrics, furniture and objects that loosely suggest the 1970s, although Thomas has said she does not aim to represent a specific time context. This portrait of Din, a model who appears in several works by the artist, reflects Thomas’ skillful employment of dynamic patterns, bold colors and lush textures to emphasize and glorify her subject.