Document Journal and Mickalene Thomas hosted a celebratory dinner at Papa San in New York City, honoring the artist’s forthcoming exhibition All About Love at the Grand Palais in Paris, opening December 17, 2025. Mickalene Thomas is the first African American artist to receive a major solo exhibition at the Grand Palais.

Notable Guests included Mickalene Thomas, Derrick Adams, Marilyn Minter, Bevy Smith, Yancey Richardson, Latham Thomas, Nick Vogelson, Stephanie Horton, Nona Hendryx, Joshua Woods, and more.

All About Love is a vibrant retrospective exploring the visibility and representation of Black women, celebrating love as a force of liberation, self-affirmation, and joy. Spanning more than two decades of work, the exhibition honors the agency, beauty, and resilience of Black women. Thomas’ subjects—friends, family, lovers, and cultural icons—are depicted with confidence, sensuality, and grace, reclaiming spaces historically denied to them. Her lush, rhinestone-studded compositions invite viewers into worlds where pleasure becomes a political act, and representation takes on a radical form.

The dinner brought together leading creatives and friends across art, design, fashion, and culture. Papa San curated a menu of signature cocktails and a fusion of flavors rooted in its Japanese izakaya flair.

George Wells and Yancey Richardson provided generous support for the evening.

Image credit: Madeleine Thomas/BFA