Viewing Mickalene Thomas at The Hayward

Mickalene Thomas’ work is an act of joyful reclamation—one that tugs at the seams of historical representations until they unravel. As this newly-opened two-storey UK debut of the American artist at the Hayward proves, Thomas’ has radically insisted on love, on beauty, and on female empowerment.

Black female agency is at the centre of Thomas’ work and in this show, her figures – usually based on women in the artist’s own life and inner circle – are larger than life, and literally dazzling, rhinestones embedded in their surfaces.

Beyond these better known sides of Thomas’ work this show also delves more into her sculptures and installations, positioning her within a tradition of Black American artists experimenting with unconventional materials and forms. Thomas’ personal references are often cribbed from the 1970s, the decade of her childhood and one she often returns too, replicating furnishings, wallpaper and bric-à-brac to restage domestic environments that evoke comfort and safety.