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Mickalene Thomas – All About Love: A Landmark Exhibition at the Grand Palais

Portrait d'une personne souriante vêtue d'une veste de costume sombre, d'une casquette noire et de grandes lunettes rectangulaires. Elle porte des bijoux en or, notamment une bague articulée et un bracelet, et pose avec une main près du visage sur un fond neutre.
Joshua Woods 2025

From December 17, 2025 to April 5, 2026, the Grand Palais in Paris presents the highly anticipated exhibition Mickalene Thomas – All About Love.

Recognized as one of the most influential contemporary American artists, Mickalene Thomas offers a powerful journey celebrating love, identity, and the presence of Black women in art.

Her signature use of rhinestones, acrylic, oil paint, glitter, collage, and mixed media creates a dazzling visual language that redefines the limits of contemporary aesthetics.

An Artist Transforming Contemporary Visual Culture

Mickalene Thomas’s practice explores themes of empowerment, representation, intimacy, and the gaze, positioning Black women at the center of art history.

A colourful abstract composition combining collages, sparkling textures and geometric shapes, depicting a stylised face with red lips, a closed eye and a large white flower on a pink background.
Untitled #10 2014, Acrylic, oil paint, glitter, rhinestones, oil pastel, dry pastel and graphite on wood panel 243.84 x 182.88 cm © 2025 Mickalene Thomas / ADAGP, Paris

The exhibition features several major works, including:

The exhibition features major works such as A Moment’s Pleasure #2 (2008), Sleep: Deux femmes noires (2012), Untitled #10 (2014),Afro Goddess Looking Forward (2015), Guernica Detail (Resist #7) (2021), and Clarivel Face Forward Gazing (2024)

Love as a Political, Personal, and Universal Force

All About Love is structured around the transformative power of love in all its forms.

It explores:

  • self-love
  • community love
  • love as a political gesture
Collage-style mixed-media composition showing a seated woman with an afro, wearing a patterned green dress, reclining on a sofa surrounded by colorful pillows and layered decorative backdrops.
Afro Goddess Looking Forward 2015 Rhinestones, acrylic and oil on wood panel, 152.4 x 243.8 x 5.1 cm © 2025 Mickalene Thomas / ADAGP, Paris

he vibrant colors, luxurious materials, and layered compositions create immersive environments where Black femininity is honored, magnified, and reclaimed.

A Cultural Must-See for 2025–2026

Mickalene Thomas’s exhibition stands out for multiple reasons:

  • A globally acclaimed artist
  • A unique mixed-media aesthetic
  • An immersive scenography
  • Strong contemporary relevance
  • A rare opportunity in France

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FAQ

1. What is the “Mickalene Thomas – All About Love” exhibition?

It is a major exhibition dedicated to the work of American artist Mickalene Thomas, exploring love, identity, and the representation of Black women through vibrant mixed-media artworks.

2. When does the exhibition take place?

The exhibition runs from December 17, 2025 to April 5, 2026 at the Grand Palais in Paris.

3. Which artworks are featured in the exhibition?

he show includes major works such as A Moment’s Pleasure #2, Sleep: Deux femmes noires, Untitled #10, Afro Goddess Looking Forward, Guernica Detail (Resist #7), and Clarivel Face Forward Gazing.

5. Why is this exhibition significant?

Because it highlights one of the most influential voices in contemporary art, combining political, cultural, and aesthetic impact in an immersive and visually striking experience.

6. Where can visitors buy tickets?

Tickets will be available on the official Grand Palais website and through partner ticketing platforms.