New Ms. Thang

Mickalene Thomas, Madame Mama Bush, 2012, chromogenic print, 48 x 60 inches (paper size), Tang Teaching Museum collection, purchased with generous funding from Nancy Herman Frehling ’65, Leslie Cyphen Diamond ’96, Pamela Kochen-Baroukh ’82, and Ann Schapps Schaffer ’62 and Melvyn S. Schaffer

George Hurrell, Jean Harlow, 1934 (printed 1979–1980), gelatin silver print, 10 7/8 x 14 inches, Tang Teaching Museum collection, The Jack Shear Collection of Photography

Deana Lawson, Joanette, Canarsie, Brooklyn, 2013, inkjet print mounted on Sintra, Tang Teaching Museum collection, purchased with generous funding from Nancy Herman Frehling ’65 and Leslie Cyphen Diamond ’96, 2019.7

New Ms. Thang examines the relationship between the glamour of classic Hollywood and glamour as redefined by contemporary black female photographers and their subjects. Recent work featured in this exhibition by artists Endia Beal, Renée Cox, Deana Lawson, and Mickalene Thomas signify a new generation of glamour that is no longer rigidly dictated by the white male gaze. Instead, New Ms. Thang presents a glamour that is fluid and inclusive of all women who are confident in themselves and their agency.

The exhibition also presents a selection of photographs by Hollywood photographer George Hurrell, and a selection of vernacular photographs from the Tang Teaching Museum collection.

This exhibition is the capstone project for Dayna Joseph ’19, the 2017–18 Carole Marchand ’57 Endowed Intern, and is part of her senior thesis in Art History. The internship is a yearlong opportunity to introduce a Skidmore junior to post-graduate life by providing academic and practical experience in one or more areas of museum work during the junior year as well as the summer term.

Hours

New Ms. Thang will be open to the public during special these hours:

Saturday May 4: 1:00 – 4:00 PM
Thursday May 9: 1:00 – 4:00 PM
Friday May 10: 1:00 – 8:00 PM
Saturday May 11: 1:00 – 4:00 PM
Thursday May 16: 1:00 – 4:00 PM
Friday May 17: 1:00 – 6:00 PM
Saturday May 18: 1:00 – 4:00 PM

Visitors can also view the exhibition by appointment. To make an appointment, please call the Visitors Services Desk at 518-580-8080.

New Ms. Thang is curated by Dayna Joseph ’19, the 2017-18 Carole Marchand ’57 Endowed Intern and is supported by the Friends of the Tang, the Carter-Rodriguez Fund for Student-Curated Programs, and Accelerate: Access and Inclusion at the Tang Teaching Museum, a project of The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation.