LaiSun Keane Gallery is delighted to announce the representation of artist Michael C. Thorpe (b. 1993). The artist is best known for his vibrant quilted paintings, bringing the immediacy of a photograph together with the abstraction of collage. His work incorporates portraiture, still life, text and interiors, and refers back to the quilting tradition of his mother’s family and the rich history of African American quilting.

To celebrate the announcement, Thorpe will be presenting seven all-new works during the Untitled Art Show in Miami Beach, November 29 - December 4, 2021 at booth #C8. The new work explores the relationship between African Americans with nature. Thorpe will be attending Untitled’s VIP preview Monday, November 29, and will be at booth #C8 on Tuesday, Wednesday and Saturday from 3 - 6pm. 

“We are immensely fortunate to have met Michael serendipitously at the early stage of his career and our gallery, in June of 2020. After we visited his studio, saw the works that he was making, and learned more about his art, we knew instantly that he was a special talent the world must not ignore,” said LaiSun Keane. “Michael’s colorful quilts are a feast for the eyes and a joy to experience!  While people are immediately drawn to them for their inviting, visual qualities at first glance, their captivating narratives reinforce the personal and intimate nature of his work.” 

LaiSun Keane mounted Thorpe’s first solo show in her eponymous gallery in SoWa Boston in Spring of 2021. The show, which quickly sold out, led Keane to subsequently give him shows at two art fairs in New York City: SPRING/BREAK Art Show and Art on Paper. 

Thorpe’s work is currently being exhibited in “Fabric of A Nation: American Quilt Stories” at the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, through January 17, 2022. He will be the subject of a solo exhibition at Paul R. Jones Museum, University of Alabama, in 2023. 

“The works I’m making for Untitled are about celebration of life, and more importantly the celebration of freedom,” says Michael C. Thorpe. “Having the ability to create whatever you want without outside pressures is the most liberating feeling, period. I gained this sense of freedom from the artists I look up to, from the likes of David Hockney, Bob Thompson, and David Hammons to name a few. They just create art. That’s all I hope to do.” 

Untitled Art, Miami Beach

Nov 29 - Dec 4, 2021

Ocean Drive and 12th St., Booth #C8

Preview Night: Monday, Nov 29 1- 8pm.

Please direct media inquiries to kelly@intuitivecomms.co 

(310) 927-4537