Kehinde Wiley American (1977 - )
Philip the Fair, 2006, Oil and enamel on canvas
Kehinde Wiley's portraits of young African-American men reference famous portraits by the Old Masters. In juxtaposing contemporary urban imagery with the style and scale more familiar in art historical precedents such as Renaissance, Baroque, and Rococo, Wiley translates the power and authority of Eurocentric Western painting onto his anonymous models that emphasize black masculinity and strength. Wiley's floral patterning of the background (which he refers to as “floration”) highlights the figure and subsequently gives a place of prominence and expression to men who often occupy a place of invisibility in society. Titles reference the original, art historical paintings; Philip the Fair is a title taken from the 15th Century stained glass depiction of Philip IV of France, who was infamously nicknamed "the fair”, as a description of his appearance as well as an ironic allusion to his treacherous reign.
Talking Points:
- Born in Los Angelos, CA
- BFA from San Francisco Art Institute; MFA from Yale
- Currently works in NYC
- Kehinde means “second born of twins”; his twin is Taiwo
- Raised by mother – focus on education and conversation; she sent Kehinde to museum art lessons on the weekends and to Russia for an art program when he was 12
- Father left before Kehinde was born
- Unrepentant update of Western white canon; recasts famous Old Masters paintings with young black men he notices on the street and randomly selects; the subjects choose what portrait they want to be painted into from art history books in Wiley’s studio; he combines hip hop with high art conventions in a celebration of black masculinity and strength; depicts figures as larger than life, using light and shadow to draw attention to musculature and male beauty.
- Includes hip hop and urban street signifiers: hoodies, brand names, baseball caps, and bling – the apparel indicates the reach of global economy and culture
- Incorporates heavy frames, slick surfaces, intricate patterns, bold color, and frank, direct gazes
- Photorealistic depictions always begin with photography session of the subjects – he paints from a photo, not from life
- In 2005 VH1 commissioned him to paint portraits of honorees – LLCool J and Ice T among other rappers; in 2010 Puma commissioned him to paint soccer star Emmanuel Eboue
- He tells a story of finding a crumped mug shot on the streets of New York and that was his entry into portraiture. He wanted to restore humanity by painting the image. Began to consider the idea of power and started combining portraiture with power.
- Akin to Warhol in his street casting practice and star power