Tag Archives: dean collection

Arts and Culture

Modern Art Monday Presents: Mickalene Thomas, Portrait of Qusuquzah #6

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portrait of qusuquzah #6 photo by gail worley
Photo By Gail

Mickalene Thomas‘s glittering, maximalist paintings of Black women, such as this work from 2012, investigate how Black femininity, sexuality, and empowerment are represented in visual culture. She draws inspiration from popular culture, music, and Western art history, while embodying the aesthetic of the 1970s with embroidered rhinestones and bold patterns.

Portrait of Qusuquzah #6 depicts one of the artist’s frequent models embodying the glamour of Black women in the 1940s. The subject assumes a central, dynamic position, commanding undivided attention.

Photographed in The Brooklyn Museum as Part of the 2024 Exhibit Giants: Art from the Dean Collection of Swizz Beatz and Alicia Keys

Arts and Culture

Modern Art Monday Presents: Hank Willis Thomas, Strike

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hank willis thomas strike photo by gail worley
Photo By Gail

In his body of work, Hank Willis Thomas (b. 1976) spotlights the impact of mass criminalization on Black communities in the United States. In Strike (2018), Thomas represents the cyclical violence and resistance inherent in the way Black communities are policed. Continue reading Modern Art Monday Presents: Hank Willis Thomas, Strike →

Arts and Culture

Modern Art Monday Presents: Jarvis Boyland, Pop Out

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jarvis boyland pop out photo by gail worley
Photo By Gail

Jarvis Boyland’s sensitive paintings conjure feelings of intimacy and leisure. In Pop Out (2019) — the title being a Chicago-based expression for hanging out — the artist depicts himself standing alongside an artist friend, both dressed in lustrous outfits and meeting the viewer’s gaze. The stand in a lived-in space with arms interlocked, exuding a familiarity that confirms their comfort in each other’s presence. It is as much a portrait of their relationship as it is of them as individuals, echoing Borland’s broader portrayals of queer Black people in domestic settings.

Photographed in the Brooklyn Museum as Part of the Exhibit Giants: Art From The Dean Collection.

Arts and Culture

Modern Art Monday Presents: Deliverance By Amy Sherald

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deliverance by amy sherald photo by gail worley
Photo By Gail

According to artist Amy Sherald (b. 1973), she paints “Black people doing stuff.” Her committment to uplifting the everyday experiences of Black communities  can be seen in Deliverance (2022), in which she paints Baltimore-based figures on dirt bikes in the manner of lofty equestrian portraits. Sherald appropriates the style of portraiture  historically reserved for elite white sitters to glorify the bike culture of her chosen home. Caught in mid-air, her subjects lean back as if on a rearing horse, defying the laws of physics.

Photographed in the Brooklyn Museum as Part of the Exhibit Giants: Art From The Dean Collection.

 

 

 

Arts and Culture

Modern Art Monday Presents: Henna Crew By Hassan Hajjaj

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henna crew photo by gail worley
Photos By Gail

By documenting Morocco’s multi-faceted culture, Hassan Hajjaj (b. 1961) stages an intervention against stereotypical, flattening depictions of his country by the West. He often photographs stylish Moroccan figures, such as this crew of veiled female henna artists, in memorable, architecturally dramatic settings.
Continue reading Modern Art Monday Presents: Henna Crew By Hassan Hajjaj →