Mickalene Thomas Curates Tête-à-Tête Exhibition Featuring Black Portrait Photography at Yancey Richardson
From July 12 to August 24, 2012, the Yancey Richardson gallery in New York City hosted an exhibition called Tête-à-Tête, curated by Mickalene Thomas. This event showcased portrait photography exclusively from African and American artists, featuring talents like Derrick Adams, LaToya Ruby Frazier, and Deana Lawson. The focus was on how the black body is portrayed, exploring issues of race, gender, sexuality, and history. Notable pieces included Clifford Owens' Anthology (Jacolby Satterwhite) and Malick Sidibé's Nuit du 31 Dêcembre (1966/2002). The exhibition wrapped up with Xaviera Simmons’ Untitled (Pink), 2008, engaging in a conversation about representation while balancing celebration with historical tension.
Key facts
- Exhibition curated by Mickalene Thomas
- Ran from July 12 to August 24, 2012
- Located at Yancey Richardson gallery, 535 West 22nd Street, New York City
- Featured 11 artists including LaToya Ruby Frazier, Clifford Owens, Malick Sidibé
- Focused on portrait photography exploring black body representation
- Clifford Owens' work referenced his MoMA PS1 performances
- Historical context included Thelma Golden's 1994 Whitney exhibition
- Xaviera Simmons' Untitled (Pink), 2008 closed the exhibition
Entities
Artists
- Mickalene Thomas
- Derrick Adams
- LaToya Ruby Frazier
- Jayson Keeling
- Deana Lawson
- Zanele Muholi
- Clifford Owens
- Mahlot Sansosa
- Malick Sidibe
- Xaviera Simmons
- Hank Willis Thomas
- Jacolby Satterwhite
- Robert Mapplethorpe
- Lyle Ashton Harris
- Angela Davis
- Thelma Golden
- O.J. Simpson
- Rodney King
- Jean Baudrillard
- Emmanuel Levinas
Institutions
- Yancey Richardson
- Whitney Museum of American Art
- MoMA PS1
- artcritical
Locations
- New York City
- United States
- Mali