{"id":160035,"date":"2026-03-11T04:43:38","date_gmt":"2026-03-11T04:43:38","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/160035\/"},"modified":"2026-03-11T04:43:38","modified_gmt":"2026-03-11T04:43:38","slug":"mickalene-thomass-guide-to-brooklyn-new-york-arts-intel-report","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/160035\/","title":{"rendered":"Mickalene Thomas\u2019s Guide to Brooklyn, New York: Arts Intel Report"},"content":{"rendered":"

\u201cI would describe my art as radically shifting notions of beauty by claiming space,\u201d Mickalene Thomas told NPR in 2024. \u201cWe\u2019ve been supportive characters for far too long. My art gives Black women their flowers and lets them know that they are the leading role.\u201d Born in Camden, New Jersey, the artist was raised in a humble Buddhist household with her mother and brother. She moved to Brooklyn in the late 1990s to study at the Pratt Institute, where she began drawing on popular movements from Cubism to Dadaism. Instead of sticking to the canon, though, she rethought the historical movements to incorporate the long-ignored stories of Black women.<\/p>\n

With materials like rhinestones, enamel, and acrylic, Thomas emphasizes internal beauty while celebrating individuality, race, gender, and sexuality. Her work has appeared at the National Portrait Gallery in Washington D.C., at New York\u2019s<\/a> Museum of Modern Art, and, most recently, in a major exhibition at the Grand Palais, in Paris<\/a>\u2014the latter paying tribute to a feminist manifesto by bell hooks.<\/p>\n

Today, Thomas continues to live and work in Fort Greene, just minutes away from Pratt. Here, she shares her guide to the place that kick-started her career as an artist.<\/p>\n

BITTERSWEET<\/p>\n

A sweet spot where neighbors come for the best coffee, and where dogs must stop in after their morning walks for the best dog treats. (bittersweetbk.com<\/a>)<\/p>\n

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The Tuna Tataki at Karasu, in Brooklyn. Karasu<\/p>\n

Tucked behind the familiar warmth of Walter\u2019s, in Fort Greene, a door invites you into a wholly different kind of environment. Karasu is an izakaya restaurant with a scene I\u2019d want to film in: all deepwood, low amber light, and the kind of intimate geometry that makes every silhouette look like a Wong Kar-wai<\/a> movie. (karasubk.com<\/a>)<\/p>\n

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A view of Fort Greene Park on a Spring day. FORT GREENE PARK<\/p>\n

The park is a monumental canvas, a layered landscape where we finally reclaim the space and tools to tell our own story. At its Artisans Bazaar, jewelers and makers scatter their craft like finely cut gems across the concrete. Just steps away, the Farmers Market is a haven of saturated color\u2014earthy greens and gold-hued honey\u2014where the neighborhood gathers to perform every Saturday morning. But the true heart is The LayOut, where Emily Wyner and the collective transform the grass into a lush sanctuary of Black joy. Music, movement, and a fierce, unapologetic statement of belonging turn the entire park into a masterpiece in motion, from sledding in winter to people watching in the summer. (fortgreenepark.org<\/a>)<\/p>\n

GLADYS BOOKS & WINE<\/p>\n

A lush, bi-level storefront with the soulful rhythm of a Midwest-inspired lounge. Founded by Tiffany Dockery, it\u2019s a \u201cthird space\u201d where the neighborhood can just be. Upstairs, the sunlight hits the green velvet couch just right, illuminating a curated collage of Black and queer literature. From the no-tip hospitality to the portraits of Audre Lorde and Toni Morrison on the walls, every corner is a fierce, unapologetic statement of belonging and kinship. (gladysbooksandwine.com<\/a>)<\/p>\n

SEED BRKLYN<\/p>\n

Owned by Christophe Roberts, a multi-hyphenate artist and creative director, this is one of the hippest concept stores not only in Brooklyn but in the entire Northeast. It houses The Garden, a retail space with a diverse group of designers, including Martine Rose-Maharshi. There\u2019s also the Greenhouse Caf\u00e9, which serves the best matcha latte you\u2019ll ever find while plants and books surround you. Finally, there\u2019s the Oasis Gallery, with exceptional events and exhibitions. (seedbrklyn.com<\/a>)<\/p>\n

SU\u2019JUK<\/p>\n

A store selling Italian furniture and clothing. They have two locations in Brooklyn, which I like to think of as two portals into Italy\u2019s past and future. You walk into the stores, and it\u2019s not just shopping\u2014it\u2019s composition. All the modern and vintage pieces I\u2019ve purchased there (like a curved chrome lamp) feel like jewelry for your living room, and like you\u2019re curating a mood. (sujukbk.com<\/a>)<\/p>\n

EVERYTHING FOR HEALING<\/p>\n

One of the secrets to my skin care is Shakima York, who uses amazing oils that melt into your skin like affirmation, and butters that seal in softness like a love letter. You can find her at the Prospect Park Farmers Market and the Fort Greene Artisans Bazaar. Her company, Everything for Healing, isn\u2019t just skincare. It\u2019s tenderness. It\u2019s adornment. It\u2019s knowing that your skin remembers how you treat it. (everythingforhealing.com<\/a>)<\/p>\n

THE SOFT SPACE by mama glow<\/p>\n

A wellness destination founded by Latham Thomas and located in Williamsburg where you can experience sound baths and workshops like Reiki and herbalism. It\u2019s exquisitely designed with a beautiful, chilled atmosphere. This isn\u2019t just a wellness space\u2014it\u2019s a sacred pause dressed in elegance. You walk in, and the air feels different: softer, intentional, like it\u2019s been waiting for you to exhale. The Soft Space understands that healing is aesthetic, too. That beauty and wellness are not separate conversations. (instagram.com<\/a>)<\/p>\n

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A dance performance at the Brooklyn Academy of Music. BROOKLYN ACADEMY OF MUSIC<\/p>\n

It\u2019s not just a venue; it\u2019s the pulse and heartbeat of Brooklyn. BAM houses theater, dance, film, local, and international programs. Then, in late Spring, it hosts the best African festival. It\u2019s a community and understands that culture is multidimensional and that theater, dance, cinema, and festival are all facets of the very same thing. (bam.org<\/a>)<\/p>\n

Brooklyn Museum<\/p>\n

Let\u2019s be real about this\u2014it\u2019s a powerhouse, from the Black Arts Scene and First Saturdays to the huge retrospective exhibitions, public events, and special talks. And it sits in the heart of Brooklyn, right there on the Eastern Parkway. It\u2019s a monumental enclave where we see ourselves from Ancient Egypt to today. I\u2019ve had my own work all over its walls because this place understands that art isn\u2019t just for a quiet room; it\u2019s about identity, power, and the gaze. (brooklynmuseum.org<\/a>)<\/p>\n

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The Brooklyn Bridge, as seen from Dumbo. Brooklyn Bridge<\/p>\n

One of my favorite spots in the world is at the center of this bridge, looking back onto Brooklyn and forward towards Manhattan. I started walking over the bridge when I was studying at Pratt Institute. It began out of necessity when I could not afford subway rides. Now, it\u2019s a form of self-care and a gentle reminder of the many steps it took me to become the artist I am today. (nyc.gov<\/a>)<\/p>\n

Photos: \u00a9 Joshua Woods; @instagram\/karasubk; Alex Potemkin\/iStock Unreleased\/Getty Images; Courtesy of Brooklyn Academy of Music; Josh Miller\/Unsplash\n <\/p>\n