Description
In Portrait of Maya #10, Mickalene Thomas builds power through pose and construction. Maya’s stance is unapologetically confident – arms raised, gaze steady – while the collaged photographic layers, bold textiles, and stylised colour create a scene that feels both intimate and iconic.
At the heart of the composition, Thomas inserts an X-ray-like window – an intervention that complicates the image’s surface allure and redirects attention inward. It’s a visual device that speaks to Thomas’ ongoing interest in how bodies are looked at, represented, and reclaimed – shifting the viewer from consumption to contemplation.
The edition’s finishing is integral to the experience. Metallic silkscreen glitter and shimmer layers, a CMYK silkscreen central panel, and a matte varnish seal create shifting highlights across hair, clothing, and the central “revealed” section—so the work subtly changes as light moves across it.
Details
Artist: Mickalene Thomas
Title: Portrait of Maya #10
Year: 2024
Medium/Technique: UV pigment print on 410gsm Somerset Tub Sized Radiant White paper with 4 metallic silkscreen glitter and shimmer layers, a CMYK silkscreen central panel, and a matte varnish seal
Dimensions (sheet): 59.3 × 52.5 cm (H × W)
Edition: 215/732 (edition of 732)
Markings: Signed and dated bottom right; numbered bottom left
Publisher/Printer: Avant Arte
Extra notes: certificate of authenticity included; release date June 25, 2024
Condition
As new
