In the art of Mickalene Thomas, grainy black-and-white cutouts swim amid silkscreen prints, rhinestones, and images in oil paint—a mix inspired by modernist movements and the Harlem Renaissance. These dazzling collages make the power and beauty of Black women their primary subject. “To see yourself,” Thomas has explained, “and for others to see you, is a form of validation.” At Yale, Thomas has created a multi-gallery installation that presents portraits of Black people from the 18th and 19th centuries, as well as work by Thomas and other contemporary artists, in settings of pre-Emancipation-era furniture. As usual, she plays with the past, letting context recalibrate perception. —Elena Clavarino