In a glowing celebration of art, community, and creative brilliance, Mickalene Thomas was the guest of honor at an intimate surprise gathering marking her 55th birthday at Faena New York. The evening unfolded as a deeply personal tribute to an artist whose bold vision continues to expand the canon of contemporary art.
Latham Thomas
The opulent interiors of Faena New York—rich with layered textures and nuanced design—set the stage for a gathering that was as vibrant and soul-stirring as Thomas’s work. A curated guest list of artists, cultural luminaries, and cherished friends filled the space with warmth and shared reverence. The atmosphere brimmed with the kind of spontaneous joy, meaningful conversation, and creative energy that define the artist herself.
Latham Thomas, Mickalene Thomas
This celebratory moment came amid a milestone year for Thomas, whose landmark retrospective, All About Love, is currently on view at the Grand Palais in Paris. The exhibition, which runs through April 5, 2026, positions Thomas as the first African-American artist to be granted a major solo show at the historic institution—a cultural breakthrough underscoring her global influence.
Derrick Adams, Mickalene Thomas, Gordon Chambers, Jamel Robinson, Nona Hendryx, Latoya Lyn, Michael Chuapoco, Jazmine Dugall
While her Parisian retrospective offers a sweeping view of over two decades of boundary-pushing work, the evening at Faena offered something rarer: the quiet gravity of community, the shimmer of admiration, and the recognition of a life devoted to reshaping how we see beauty, power, and representation.
Marissa Leick, Javon Coney, Latham Thomas, Mickalene Thomas, Chanel Coney, Tara Graham
Among the guests were longtime collaborators and admirers spanning art, fashion, and media—each person a thread in the rich fabric of Thomas’s expansive creative universe. As the night unfolded in rhythm and reverie, it became clear: this was more than a birthday. It was a celebration of legacy in motion.
Jeanine Liburd, Latoya Lyn, Mickalene Thomas, Michael Liburd
Thomas, known for her rhinestone-embellished portraits and fearless interrogation of Black female identity, continues to command space not only within museum walls but within the living, breathing world of culture-makers. Her practice—spanning painting, photography, collage, video, and installation—reclaims and reimagines histories, while her role as an educator and advocate further solidifies her position as a generational force.
Richard Simon, Storm Ascher, McKenzie Liautaud, Sade Muhammad
In 2023, Thomas made history when the Yale School of Art endowed a scholarship in her name—an unprecedented honor for a Black queer femme artist and a gesture that mirrors the lasting imprint she leaves on the cultural landscape.
Paul Thomas, Mickalene Thomas, Correne Thomas, Indigo Pascall
The celebration at Faena New York marked a pause, a reflection, and a reverent cheer for the continuing journey of an artist whose power lies in how she uplifts others to see themselves in the frame.
Latham Thomas, Mickalene Thomas, Cari Champion
