Art Exhibit ‘The New Mona Lisa’ Reimagines Di Vinci’s Masterpiece

Leonardo Di Vinci’s masterpiece has inspired millions – likely more. It’s been an icon of the art world, the subject of mystery and movies, and now, Detroit’s going to reinterpret that famous “Mona Lisa smile.” Dubbed “The New Mona Lisa,” this exhibit will run from March 15 to April 5 at the Norwest Gallery of Art.

Asia Hamilton, director and chief curator, decided to come at the “Mona Lisa” from a different angle – women of color. “Women of color, people of color are often excluded from the West’s set of beauty standards,” Hamilton says.

“I want to change the way beauty standards operate in the West to include nuances that belong specifically to women, people of color. Rather than the West co-opting full lips, broad noses, curves, to apply to white women and call it exclusively/most importantly white.”

Hamilton serves as curator, while the concept comes from artist and designer Douglas Jones. The participating artists all hail from Detroit and will reinterpret the Mona Lisa, in a way that redefines beauty standards, “with portraits of women from the male, female, queer, trans and nongender, nonconforming perspective.”

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