BLK

  For my first "selfie" blog post, I took inspiration from Mickalene Thomas. Her art specifically interested me because of what they represent and the stories that come with each piece. I noticed that Mickalene Thomas's work often emphasizes her notions of race, gender, feminity, and beauty in the most creative and playful ways.
      She makes a clear point of what she wants her art to acknowledge and accomplish. That being, showing power, representation and setting unconventional standards through her work. And Thomas specifically uses Black women and people of color to model just that. In the article entitled, The Photographed, Collaged, and Painted Muses of Mickalene Thomas, Thomas states, "By selecting women of color, I am quite literally raising their visibility and inserting their presence into the conversation." She also says in the same article, "By portraying real women with their own unique history, beauty, and background, I'm working to diversify the representation of Black women in art." So not only is Thomas provoking the idea of standard or conventional beauty in art, but she is also breaking it.
    Similarly, with my "self-portrait" I am questioning and provoking historical traditions by showing power through a Black woman. More specifically, that Black woman being one of my close friends. I decided to capture her in her organic state. She is either binging on Netflix or burying her head in books. By capturing an image of her studying, I made a connection between the power of her studies to the power of a woman having an education. To be even more specific, the power of a Black woman with an education. Also, comparable to Thomas's work, I am able to see myself in the piece or make a connection to the story behind it. I also took inspiration by the use of dimensions and color to add playfulness.

Edwards 2019

Thomas