Mickalene Thomas on Alvin Ailey
<p>In celebration of the exhibition <em>Edges of Ailey</em>, artist Mickalene Thomas recalls her first encounter with the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater, and the influence it has had on her life and work. Thomas created the work <em>Revelation</em>, a portrait of Katherine Dunham, specifically for the exhibition. In this minisode, Thomas shares an experience of seeing <em>Revelations</em> performed by the AILEY company for the first time in New York in 1995. Thomas also describes moments of overlap between the language of dance and her art practice, and what any artist can take away from Alvin Ailey’s work.</p>
Authors: Mickalene Thomas
Subjects: Alvin Ailey
Whitney Museum of American Art
Part of: Artists Among Us