Mickalene Thomas is a well-known artist in Brooklyn who expresses the ideas of black female beauty, sexual identity, and feminine power through elaborate, collage-inspired paintings that are decorated with rhinestones, enamel, and colorful paint. She uses ideas from historical artwork in her pieces, borrowing from artists like Gustave Courbet, Romare Bearden, David Hockney, Edouard Manet, and Henri Matisse. Thomas was born in New Jersey in 1971 and studied Pre Law and Theatre Arts in college in Portland, Oregon. She then received her BFA from Pratt Institute and her MFA from Yale University. One of her most famous pieces is called “Le Dejeuner”, in which she creates a contrast with work done by Eduardo Manet.
Eduardo Manet was a French artist born in Paris in January 1832. He became one of the first artists of that time to paint modern life. This hugely impacted the transition from Realism to Impressionism, and the controversial aspect of his work is still impacting the world of modern art to this day. In 1841, he enrolled in a secondary school called the College Rollin. Manet was also influenced by his travels to Germany, Italy, and the Netherlands, meeting artists who would help shape his career. His famous piece, “Dejeuner Sur l’Herbe” is the work that Mickalene Thomas based “Le Dejeuner” off of. In order to understand the relationship that the two pieces have to one another, first we must look at them both individually. Mickalene Thomas’ “Le Dejeuner” is full of bold colors and intricate patterns. There are three African American women seated together as if they are lounging or relaxing, eating lunch together as intimate friends. All three of the women seem to have a colorful style, correlating with their culture. Their hair is styled in accordance with their culture and their make up is bold and beautiful. The whole piece shouts expression, color, and a unique power. Two of the women seem to have a darker skin tone, while the woman on the far left has a more amber complection. The background of the piece more of an abstract form, yellow and oranges contrasting with the blues and greens toward the bottom of the piece. The entire piece looks almost like it is fragmented glass, different cracks breaking off pieces of the painting. The surface of the painting looks almost glasslike due to the resin covering, giving the piece a shiny, modern appearance. The style of the work has a pop-art feel to it, the bright colors drawing the viewer’s eyes around the work and causing him or her to begin searching for deeper meanings within Thomas’ painting. Eduardo Manet’s painting, “Dejeuner Sur l’Herbe,” is a large oil painting on canvas. In the painting, there are four figures. Two men and one woman are seated around their lunch in the forest while another woman is behind them slightly in the distance, bent over toward the ground. The two men seem to be of wealth and importance, dressed in black robe and a brown suit with nice pants and a relaxed appearance. One is reclining while the other is sitting propped up with his hand, a faint smirk playing on his mouth. The woman beside them is, in contrast, fully nude, her clothing having fallen away from her body. Only part of her garments are wrapped around one of her legs and placed beneath her so that she is able to sit on the grass. The man next to her appears to be sitting close to her with almost a possessive air. She is the only one in the painting looking directly at the viewer. The woman in the background appears to be wearing a thin dress or her bathing clothes. This aspect of the painting causes the viewer to wonder why the men are fully clothed, but the women are nude or scantily dressed. Was this the womens’ choice? Are they forced to be less dressed or nude as a means of entertainment and visual pleasure for the men in their state of relaxation? Looking at this painting, the eyes of the nude woman catch the attention of the viewer. She looks directly at the viewer, and although a faint smile plays on her lips, I wonder if there is something more there: An unspoken discomfort? An expression begging for someone to revive her dignity and stop this objectification? Perhaps her feelings only continue to be stifled by the society of that time… until modern artists begin voicing these unheard opinions. Analysis of Thomas’ “Le Dejeuner” and Manet’s “Dejeuner Sur l’Herbe” reveals that these pieces contain clear similarities. Firstly, the three women in Thomas’ piece clearly mimic the postures of the group in Manet’s painting. Both are relaxed, appearing to enjoy the simplicity of companionship over lunch. It is also interesting to notice that the skin color of the women in the first painting directly correlates with the coat colors and skin color of the group in Manet’s painting. The complection of the woman on the far right is similar to the color of the coat of the man on the right. The woman in the middle has a complection similar to the coat color of the man in the middle. And finally, the amber color of the woman on the far left is the lightest, in relation to the woman on the left in Manet’s piece. The colors of both pieces are also very similar. Both incorporate lots of greens, oranges, and blues. Thomas also incorporates abstract tree-like structures in the background in order to parallel the forest setting of Manet’s piece. Despite the obvious similarities between the two pieces, the differences are almost even more apparent. Firstly, the most obvious difference is the difference in skin color between the people in Thomas’ painting and those in Manet’s piece. While Manet painted four wealthy, caucasian men and women, Thomas painted three African American women. These cultures contrast, only more accentuating the differences in style between the two paintings. While Thomas explored more of a pop art style, including bright colors and abstract designs, Manet’s style was much more detailed and realistic. While both pieces express a form of power and culture, their meanings are quite different. Manet’s piece holds the connotation of male dominance and the wealth of caucasian people during that time, while Thomas accentuates the power, dignity, self-reliance, and beauty of African American women. Overall, both pieces are powerful and interesting. The relationship between the two paintings are clear, and the message of Mickalene Thomas through her work is clear. It is inspiring to see how modern artists are exploring the ideas of those from the past, while challenging societal ideas and expressing the truth of the power and beauty of those who were once considered as less. The voices of each painting are uniquely different from each other, yet explore similar ideas in different ways. The work of Thomas reminds me of Kehinde Wiley's mission through his artwork. Both artists inspire me to think about what I am expressing in my own work, motivating me to pursue my own passions and challenge the way our society thinks.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. Archives
May 2018
Categories |