Existing comment:
When Ends Meet -- Oprah Winfrey
Oprah Winfrey born 1954
Born Kosciusko, Mississippi
Artist Mickalene Thomas created a double portrait of Oprah Winfrey and Condoleeza Rice to emphasize how both African American women overcame obstacles throughout their lives. For Winfrey, she uses her characteristic rhinestones to highlight the multimedia mogul's megawatt smile and verve. Winfrey's confident gaze telegraphs her knack for connecting with others, be they celebrities or ordinary citizens.
Winfrey catapulted to fame in 1986 with her self-named talk show, a daily telecast that ran for twenty-five years, winning multiple awards. Building on the devotion of viewers everywhere, she turned to recommending books, promoting self-help, and creating HARPO studios, a magazine, and a television network. Born to an impoverished single mother, Winfrey has become an influential media leader and philanthropist. She has also given acclaimed performances in The Color Purple (1985) and Lee Daniels' The Butler (2013). Awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2013, Winfrey recently produced Selma, a movie about the life of Martin Luther King Jr.
Mickalene Thomas (born 1971)
Screenprint with hand-applied rhinestones on four-ply board, 2007–8 |